Rine begins this scene by saying hello to his friend Roxane, who has just arrived in Cannaregio. He's excited to be back in Italy, and he asks Roxane if she'd like to use her gondola for the day. She says she's already booked an undine, so he can use it while he's at work. Rine asks if he can pass the mail while he waits for her to arrive, and she says she can. He says he'll do it as a friend, not as a customer, and that he'd be happy to help her out if she wants to. He tells her that he has a day off the next day, and if she accompanies him on his training, he won't have to worry about anything. He also says that he doesn't mind passing out the mail as long as he and Roxane are having a good time. Roxane says that she'll be glad to help him out, and Rine promises to do just that. She tells him that the job is physically demanding, but she says it's a good one because the people in the city still prefer to receive letters over digital ones. She adds that the city is full of people who want to do things "the slow, troublesome way" .