If you live in Italy, probably you, or some one in your family owns an Ape. Ape pronounced -op pay- means Bee which is kind of what it sounds like as it whizzes by you on a narrow street. Built by Piaggio, it is a small 50 CC 3 wheeled vehicle, kind of a cross between a motorcycle and a tiny truck and you see it being used to carry everything from flowers, to buckets of paint. I guess you could call it the "Italian work horse". But as with anything, if you have a love of speed, any vehicle is fair game, and racing is a big part of the Mondino family tradition.
One of Massimo's nephews races his tiny truck. (He shall remain nameless, wouldn't want to get him into too much trouble!) He modifies his to make it go faster and than races it against other teens who've modified their own. It is illegal of course and beyond the sheer thrill of going fast and winning the occasional Ape race, there is no reward, unless you take into consideration the enormous grin on his face, and the lit up eyes full of excitement as he tells you about his latest win.
ah satisfaction.., the best reward.
