Gathered on the sofa, my friends Gea and Cleo and I are engaged in lively conversation. The slave descends the stairs and appears above us, but we pay him no mind. He attempts to gain our attention, but his efforts are in vain. In his hands, he holds a flashlight, which he requests from us. We retort, informing him that the flashlight is within arm’s reach, and that he should retrieve it himself, as he has already disturbed our conversation. In a desperate attempt to reach for the flashlight, he becomes ensnared in the railing. We offer our assistance, but to no avail. The situation appears dire, yet we find it amusing, much like a scene from an Italian film. Giddy with laughter, we begin to slap him playfully. Our blows are so forceful that the slave fears his face has swelled, making it even more challenging to free himself. Despite his concerns, we remain unsympathetic, as it is getting late and we must attend to our aperitifs. We abandon him, leaving him trapped in the railing, with a sore face and the flashlight clutched in his hands.