A New York woman was at her hairdresser's on Park  Avenue
getting her hair styled prior to a trip to Rome  with her boyfriend.
She mentioned the trip to the  hairdresser, who responded,
"Rome?" why would anyone  want to go there? It's crowded dirty and full of  Italians.
You're crazy to go to Rome.  So, how are you getting there?"
.
"We're taking Continental," was the reply. "We got a  great rate!"
"Continental?" exclaimed the hairdresser. "That's a  terrible airline.
Their planes are old, their flight attendants are  ugly, and they're always late.
So, where are you staying in Rome?
.
We'll be at this exclusive little place over on Rome's  left bank called  Teste..."
.
"Don't go any further. I know that place.
Everybody  thinks its gonna be  something special and exclusive,
but it's really a  dump, the worst hotel  in the city!
The rooms are small, the service is surly  and they're  overpriced.
So, whatcha doing when you get there?"
.
"We're going to go to see the Vatican and we hope to  see the Pope."
.
"That's rich," laughed the hairdresser.
"You and a  million other people  trying to see him.
He'll look the size of an ant.
Boy,  good luck on this  lousy trip of yours.
You're going to need it."
.
A month later, the woman again came in for a hairdo.
The hairdresser  asked her about her trip to Rome.
."It was wonderful,"  explained the  woman,
"not only were we on time in one of
Continental's brand new  planes,
but it was overbooked and they bumped us up to  first class.
The  food and wine were wonderful,
and I had a handsome  28-year-old steward who  waited on me hand and foot."
And the hotel - it was great!
They'd just finished a  $5 million remodeling job
and now it's a jewel, the finest hotel  in the city.
They,  too, were overbooked, so they apologized
and gave us  their owner's suite  at no extra charge!"
.
"Well," muttered the hairdresser, "that's all well and  good,
but I  know you didn't get to see the Pope."
.
"Actually, we were quite lucky, because as we toured  the Vatican,
a Swiss  Guard tapped me on the shoulder and explained
that the  Pope likes to meet  some of the visitors and if I'd be so kind as to step
into his  private room and wait, the Pope would personally greet  me.
"Sure enough, five minutes later,
the Pope walked  through the door  and shook my hand!
I knelt down and he spoke a few  words to me."
.
"Oh, really...What'd he say?"
.