Spano jogs their memories

Just want to congratulate Susan Spano on her beautiful and accurate article on Luxembourg [“Luxembourg, Crossroad of Cultures,” Small Countries of Europe, Sept. 28]. I was born in Echternach in 1938 and have been living in Los Angeles for 45 years. We call ourselves Luxembourgers and speak Luxembourgish.

Antoinette Schock

Hollywood

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Spano’s article on Luxembourg was superb. It is interesting to note that Gen. Dwight Eisenhower’s faith in Gen. George Patton was so great that he voted to deny military aid to the 3rd Army fighting the Germans at the Battle of the Bulge. As the U.S. supreme commander reportedly said, “They say prayer can move mountains. That’s all we’re leaving the 3rd Army fighters in the Ardennes -- prayer and the mountains.”

Evan Dale Santos

Adelanto, Calif.

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I am so pleased to know that Spano is living in Rome. I lived there as a student-priest from 1983 to 1987 and fell in love with the city. I was reminded by her article [“A Trove of Tiny Treasures,” Sept. 28] of the always full, always interesting 64 bus.

One day a newly ordained U.S. bishop arrived at our door with the story of how, getting on the 64 bus near the Tiber, a pickpocket had grabbed his wallet. The Romans on the ground, incensed that a priest should be robbed, grabbed the pickpocket who was trying to make his escape from the bus. The bus doors were closing but, just before they were completely closed, his wallet came flying back into the bus. He picked it up off the floor -- nothing missing -- to the cheers of the passengers.

Don’t count on the bishop’s luck; be careful on the 64 bus.

Mike Heher

Garden Grove