Taxi, taxi?

Taxis are expensive in Italy. With gasoline going for 1.45 euro (US$2.25) a liter (there are almost 4 liters in a gallon), I avoided taxis and took them only from and to the airport. Just the flag fall is 4.25 euro (U.S. $6.60).
When you need a taxi, you call a cab company. Trying to set my departure from Florence, I called the cab company the evening before because I had heard from a colleague that taxi companies wouldn’t take reservations days in advance. The operator told me: “We are 24 hours [sic]; call tomorrow.”
The next day, one hour prior to the time I needed an airport taxi, I called again. Before I could explain anything, the operator said: “It will be there in 3 minutes.” When I said I needed it within an hour, he told me to call back when I was ready. I was getting a little worried I wouldn’t make it on time.
After rushing around and triple-checking that I wasn’t leaving anything behind, I called back.
“It will be there in 5 minutes,” he said. Three minutes later, I saw a taxi waiting on the street.
The driver was a middle-aged man, easy to talk to, but only in Italian. I am so glad I am able to make myself understand in that language.
He started the conversation by asking where I was going: “Parigi,” I responded, and from there, we didn’t stop talking until we got to the airport. He introduced himself as Matteo and asked me if I was going to come back to Florence. “Maybe next year,” I said. To my surprise, he said: “I’ll give you my address and next time you stay with us.”
He meant what he said. Hiding my surprise, I thanked him and paid my 23-euro ride that took 15 minutes.