You're tiny and it's frozen

I don't do regret, it's a wasted emotion, but I will tell thee summat: I missed two golden opportunities in my life that I wish I hadn't. Erm, that sounds like regret. So be it.
The first opportunity was when I was in Brescia, Italy, in my early twenties and spent many evenings, after class, in a disreputable tavern across the way from the Opera House in the company of musicians from the Opera House. Queer as nine pound notes all of them, but great fun to be with. And sometimes they would play and sing stuff from Italian opera. And I never once went to the opera while I was in Italy.
The second opportunity was when I married Mrs A. She not only had a fine and trained voice, but she was an opera buff. And all the years of our marriage, when she went to the opera or played her records, I took no part in that. Damn.
And then, years later, as I went back many times to Italy on visits or on business, I bit by bit fell in love with opera. Visit Lucca and you visit Puccini.
I got there late, amici miei, but I got there. And now, when I am in the right mood, I can sing the clean version of La Donna e mobile, having only before known the scurrilous version (email me if you want to know the latter).
Mind you, much as I love the music, I wish people didn't die of unrequited love quite so much. Why can't you have a good tune AND a good sex life?