7. Bend Over and Lick

  

                                                   BEND OVER AND LICK
               

     The shaking subsided. The grinding sounds of the earth quieted and skittered away. It was over. Everyone was gasping for air. They began pulling themselves up. Gladys stared blankly and moaned. Nadine’s eyes wandered around the rubble before resting on the pile of stones rising out of the hole in the floor. She focused on one shiny, pink pump balanced on a large block. She started to wail. Sally stumbled over to her, kneeled down, put an arm around her and gently rocked back and forth. Bob stood over them and stroked his wife’s hair. Buck lifted Cesaria to her feet. John was brushing himself off as he stared at the devastation. Justin and Courtney took a few tentative steps towards the wreckage then stopped and held each other. Dan looked down the hill and could see the guide running up to them. Lucia grabbed his hand. “My God, Daniel. They’re all dead.”
     “They’re all dead!”, Nadine howled.
     “There’ll be a party in hell tonight.”, muttered Buck.
     The guide crested the hill. “Is everyone alright?”, he demanded. As he looked at them, Dan could see him counting under his breath. When he finished, relief washed over his face. It was suddenly replaced with a look of panic. “Where is the American politician and his wife? Where are their body guards?”
     “I’m afraid they’ve gone to meet their maker.”, said Cesaria as she motioned toward the pile of stones.
     “O Thee mou!”, screamed the guide. He pulled out his cell phone and frantically rattled on. He placed his hand over his heaving chest and stared at the sky. Then he looked at them again. “You must get back to the bus and back to town. We must get you all back on the ship. What ship are you on? I can’t remember what ship you are on!”
     Buck’s voice was sonorous. “We’re on the Argonaut Adventure.”
     “But Buck,” blurted Lucia. “We’re not - ”
     Buck’s expression was black. He looked at the rest of them menacingly. No one said a word. “We’re on the Argonaut Adventure.”, he repeated.
     “The Argonaut Adventure!”, gasped the guide. “It sails at five this evening. Oh God! I'm going to lose my job!”
     “What about Mr. and Mrs. Dead?”, grunted Buck.
     The guide was breathing heavily. “I will stay with the bodies until the police arrive! The driver will take you back to the ship! There are riots now in Heraklion and the roads may be blocked!”
     “Riots!”, wailed Nadine. “Gladys, they are rioting! We’re doomed!”
     Gladys looked like she was in shock. She stared straight ahead. She clutched her cane. Her lips moved as if she were mumbling something but no words escaped her.
     “Come on, ladies!”, snapped Buck. “Let’s get a move on!” He picked them up by their elbows and stood them on their feet.
     “Oh, Buck!”, swooned Nadine. “Take me away from all this!”

      Gladys swayed unsteadily on her feet. She looked at Buck as if she had never seen him before.
     “Come on, everyone!”, Dan yelled. “Let’s get going!”
     They slowly began to pick their way down the hill through the rocks and debris. The only sounds were Sally’s gentle weeping and Nadine’s whimpering. Lucia had Dan's arm. He heard sirens in the distance.
     “Let’s go, you guys!”, Buck ordered. “We gotta get on the bus and get the hell outa here before the police get here and take us in for questioning!”
     “And if we ditch them, they’ll make for the Argonaut Adventure.”, Dan smiled, looking at Buck.
     Buck nodded. “And maybe we just might make it off the island. Maybe.”
     The driver sat glumly in his seat. He did not look at them as they filed past. He did not move. “What’s the matter with you?”, Lucia implored. “We have to get back to the ship or it could sail without us!” The driver looked straight out the window.
     Buck had broken out into a sweat. He walked up to the driver and began speaking to him in Greek. The driver shook his head. Buck continued, this time with an intimidating tone of voice. The driver shook his head. “Shit!”, muttered Buck. “We’re screwed!”
      Cesaria rose from her seat and slowly walked up to the driver. When she stood before him, she rose up to her full height and balanced herself on her cane. She spoke in quiet and urgent Greek. The driver turned and looked at her. He responded gruffly. She continued. His eyebrows arched. He asked her a question. She answered. They went back and forth, their tone turning amicable. Then he smiled, reached into his pocket, pulled out the keys and turned the ignition. They were well out of the parking lot and on their way back to Heraklion when a stream of emergency vehicles roared past.
     Everyone’s eyes were on Cesaria. She smiled. “There was a news stand at the port this morning where we boarded the bus. The headlines proclaimed the destruction of the taxicab profession, one of well over a hundred professions that would be destroyed in the deregulation demanded by the IMF for a bailout of Greece. That’s probably what the riots are about. I told him what I thought of the IMF, what all of us thought of the IMF. Like everyone else in Greece, the driver has relatives in America. He knows that we are not all devils. I even told him that Buck had tried to board a ship headed for Gaza this morning.”
     The earthquake had shattered Courtney and Justin’s arrogance. Justin’s voice was high and meek. “But how can there still be riots after an earthquake?”
    “The bus driver called his relatives. There was very little damage in Heraklion, some rocks in the roads.”, smiled Cesaria. “The protesters have closed the airport and the port. Hopefully the earthquake quieted things down a bit.”
     John put his hand on Cesaria’s. “You’re a genius, darling. You saved us.”
     Cesaria patted his hand. “We’re going to need a whole lot more saving before this is over.”                  

     John turned to Buck. “So, you really were going to be on a boat in the Gaza flotilla. I’m impressed.”
     “It ain’t nothin”, kid, just somethin’ I wanted to do.”
     Sally had begun to recover. “Hardly any damage in the town, yet a whole wall collapses on four innocent people right in front of us?” 
     “It was God’s work.”, Courtney blurted.
     Justin frowned at Buck. “What’s all this about you trying to board a ship for Gaza? Why was it so important that the police not question us? The guide called the wrong ship. If he had called our ship, they would surely be waiting for us. Now they don’t know where we are.”
     “I think you are more concerned with the police questioning you.”, said Courtney accusingly.
     “That’s enough out of both of you.”, said Dan. “We have to have a plan once we get into the town. We have to get through to the port and the ship.” The bus swerved to miss a large rock in the road.
     “What the hell is wrong with the driver?  Is he drunk?”, Gladys was back.
     “Oh, Gladys!”, moaned Nadine. “Prepare yourself! We’re going to run the gauntlet!”
     “I don’t know what the hell you are talking about!”, snapped Gladys. “What is this? Where am I?”
      Dan leaned over and put his hand on Gladys’ shoulder. “You’re on the bus back to Heraklion.  Do you remember the earth quake?”
     “Of course I remember the God damned earthquake!”, Gladys barked. “That gas bag was huffing and puffing and his toothpick of a wife was looking down her nose at us when suddenly…” The color ran out of her face. “they - were - squashed to death.”
     “And now the police are after us!”, Nadine screeched.
     Everyone jumped. Cesaria stood over Nadine unsteadily and wagged a finger. “For God’s sake, woman! Get a grip on yourself! Now is not the time for histrionics!”
     Nadine turned to Gladys. “We’ve left the scene of a crime! We’re harboring a terrorist! We’ll end up in some Greek jail at the mercy of a bunch of dirty Greeks! We’ll - ”
     Cesaria reached over, grabbed her arm and shook her. “Pull yourself together, you stupid cow! Stop thinking of yourself for once in your life and think how the hell we are going to all get back to the ship safe and sound!”
     “Gladys!”, gasped Nadine. “That little hippie assaulted me!”  
     Gladys gave her a withering look. “Nadine, I’ve been dreaming about assaulting you for years.”
    Buck stood and looked over them. “Listen everybody! I been in this spot before. I had to get outa Egypt in a hurry. We’re gonna have to get through a lotta check points, a lotta ambushes. There’s gonna be some pissed off dick wad with a gun or a club and a whole lotta other pissed off dick wads behind him. There’s two things that are gonna get us through this shit, distraction and balls. We got about five minutes to figure out who in this sorry lot has what and how to use it. Then we gotta have everyone in sync, everyone timed, everyone ready to play their part. Who’s with me?”
     “I’m with you!”, said John.
     “What the hell!”, said Justin. “Let’s do it!”
     “I used to be in plays in High School!”, said Sally.
     “That’s right.”, said Buck. “You and your husband can play the ‘why can’t we all just get along?’ card. Kill ‘em with kindness then stab ‘em in the back.”  
     “We have to put on a play in five minutes!”, Dan said.
     “What the hell are you all talking about?”, moaned Nadine.
     “OK, Nadine. This is your chance.”, said Bob. “You like to moan and groan and play the damsel in distress. Play it to the hilt. You’re a natural!”
     Courtney was in. “All you have to do is hold back and when the time is right, let loose with everything you’ve got! You’ll be awesome!”
     Bob’s eyes left Nadine and settled on Courtney. They stayed there. “That’s right. Awesome!”
     “You two are furious at the world.”, Dan said to Justin and Courtney. “Use that fury.”
     “What about me?”, brayed Gladys. “What about me?” 
     “You’re the loose cannon.” said Dan. “Just keep your trap shut for as long as you can. Let your outrage build and build and when the time’s right, give ‘em hell! Do you think you can handle it?”
     Gladys answered with a wicked smile.
     Buck focused on Cesaria. “And you will be our translator.”
     “And you“, said Cesaria, “will be our director.”
     Buck shook his head. “This crowd don’t need no director.”
     “And me?”, asked Dan.
     “Do what you been doin’ all along.”, answered Buck. “Observin‘, mendin’ fences, stirrin’ up shit, takin’ the long view. You keep the timin’ right.”
     “I'll bet they’ve never met an angry queen before!”, John bellowed.
     Lucia smiled. “And I’ll put my pride aside and seduce them!”
     “At a gal!”, leered Buck.
    “What the hell did you just say?”, Dan demanded. “I thought we were done with lifeboats.”
     Lucia took his collar in her hands. “Darling! We’ve just lived through an earthquake! We watched a candidate for president of the United States die right in front of us and we ran away!  We’re on the only bus in a city torn with riots and we will probably miss the ship! If there was ever a time for lifeboats, it’s now!” She kissed him long and hard. She infected him with her strength and her panic and her thrill. He held her to his chest and looked at everyone else. They all had a wild look in their eyes. The driver suddenly laid on the horn. They had reached the city and were racing toward a swirling, angry mob. The bus came to a sudden stop. The crowd surrounded them. Angry faces snarled and chanted.
     There was fear in Lucia’s face. “What are they yelling?”
     “They are real pissed that there’s a bus movin’ in the town.”, said Buck.
     Cesaria pulled herself to her feet. “They want us out.”
     Gladys glared out the window at the protesters and hammered the glass with her cane. “What the hell are we supposed to do, walk back to the port? We'll miss the ship for sure! I’m not going anywhere! Driver! Start the bus!” Suddenly the doors flew open and a group of men poured onto the bus. They yelled at the driver who threw his hands in the air and yelled back.
     Sally stood next Cesaria. She gingerly tapped the old lady’s shoulder. “How do you flip off someone in Greek?” Cesaria looked aghast. Sally tried again. “How do you give the finger in Greek?”
     Everyone turned and looked at Sally in surprise. Cesaria frowned. “I don’t think this is the time -”
     “How do you say go fuck yourself ?”, Sally demanded.
     “My God.”, said John. “I wouldn’t think she’d say shit if she had a mouth full.”
     Cesaria rolled her eyes. “Put both palms up with your fingers and thumbs extended and say ante gamesou.”
     As Sally silently mouthed the words, Justin leaned over. “I think she’s on to something. How do you say your mother is a whore?”
     “Oh for heaven’s sake.” sighed Cesaria.
     “I think we got somethin’ here.”, smiled Buck. “I mana sou ine putana.”
     “Cool.”, said Justin. “That’s an easy one. I mana sou ine putana.”
     “I think you’re right.”, John whispered. “Americans acting like thugs? They won’t know what to think. How do you say suck my dick?”
     Buck was keeping an eye on the squabbling men. “Pare mou pipa.”
     “How about asshole?”, Courtney asked breathlessly.
     “Klotipa.”, Cesaria winced.
     “What the hell do you people think you’re doing?”, Dan demanded. “You can’t just start swearing at a bunch of enraged Greeks! They’ll beat the hell out of you!”
     “Or they’ll think we’re crazy and run the other way.”, said Gladys. “How do you say bend over and lick?”
     “Gladys!”, gasped Nadine. “That’s disgusting! Have you lost your mind?”
     Buck gave her a broad smile. “Skipse kai glipse.”
     Nadine insisted on taking the high road. “Heavens to Betsy! Why do all of you want to say something dirty? Why can’t you say something nice like Merry Christmas or Christ has risen? How do you say Christ has risen, you dirty old hippie?”
     Cesaria was amused. “Christos anesti, you old cow.”
     “Christos anesti.”, Nadine repeated. “Isn’t that lovely? Christos anesti.”
     These idiots are serious, thought Dan. “Buck, this is a huge mistake!”
     Lucia chimed in. “How do you say hello, do you like my breasts?”
     “Ya sou. Sas aresei vysia mou?”, Buck answered. “And I do. I really do.”
     Dan was exasperated. Any minute the mob would come surging down the aisle. “Lucia! This is crazy!”
     “Ya sou. Sas aresei vysia mou?”, she answered.
     We’re doomed, he thought. “How do you say we’re all crazy?”
     “Eímaste óloi treloí.”, said Cesaria. “And we're definitely all crazy”
     “Insane.”, Bob moaned.
     Buck was staring at the men in the front of the bus. They were looking at us now. “Parafron.”  
     Bob shook his head. “Parafron.”
     A furious Greek stomped down the aisle toward us. “You Americans! Get off bus! Get off now!”
     Sally stood in the aisle and blocked his way. “You are a nice man. What is your name?”
     The Greek stopped in his tracks. A confused look crossed his face. “Lady, you get off  bus.”
     Now Bob stood. “Get off bus? Why? We love Greece.”
     The Greek hesitated. The Greek behind him did not. “Get off bus, American pigs! There is strike! No bus! No taxi! No airport! No ship!”
     Nadine jumped to her feet and almost fell into the second Greek’s arms. “No ship? No ship?” She started genuflecting. “Christos anesti! Christos anesti!”
     Another Greek pushed against the second. He cursed at them. Courtney rose behind him, stretched up to his ear and yelled. “Klotipa!”
     All the Greeks on the bus froze. Then their astonishment turned to anger. They burst into a cacophony of furious Greek.
     Justin stood and put his arm around Courtney. “I mana sou ine putana!”
     The first Greek was dumbfounded. He stepped back. The two behind him were not. They reached for Justin. Sally stood and stretched out her hands and shouted at the top of her voice “Ante Gamesou!”
     The first Greek backed up and stepped on the second’s toes. John stood up and grabbed his crotch. “Pare mou pipa!”
     The Greeks blew up. They surged forward with blood lust in their eyes. It’s now or never, Dan thought. “Parafron!”
     “Parafron!”, roared Bob. “Parafron!”
     Buck began to jump up and down. “Parafron! Parafron!” The bus rocked back and forth with his weight. The Greeks’ mouths dropped open. They grabbed the seat backs to keep their balance.
     Now everyone joined in. “Parafron!”, they yelled over and over.
     Gladys pushed her way through the crowd until she was in front of the Greeks. She smiled. “Skipse kai glipse!” The Greeks recoiled in horror.
     Lucia jumped to her feet. Her red hair burned. Her green eyes blazed. “Ya sou!”, she yelled. The Greeks were transfixed. Then, in one sudden motion she offered the Greeks a crazed smile and opened her blouse. “Sas aresei vysia mou?”
     Nadine began to genuflect. “Christos aresti.”, she moaned. “Christos aresti.”
    They all followed suit, quietly chanting ‘Christ has risen’ and genuflecting reverently. Cesaria rose and, playing it to the hilt with her neck bent severely and affecting a slight tremor from head to foot, approached the lead Greek who was staring at all of us with disbelief. She took his hand and began to mumble. The Greek bent down to hear her. There was a quiet back and forth then the Greek looked up and shook his head. “Parafron.” He turned to the other Greeks and repeated himself. They shook their heads in turn and slowly backed down the aisle. Before they left the bus, they had a terse exchange with the driver.
    Dan couldn’t believe it. He looked at Cesaria in amazement. “It worked! We did it! What did you say to them?”
     Cesaria straightened her dress. “I told them that you were all special needs Americans and you were my charge. I told them that we had to get you back to your ship because your medication ran out. I’ll have to admit, swearing at them in Greek almost backfired until I played the idiot savant card. I told them you could focus on one thing and learn it quickly. I told them you had focused on the Greek language.” She turned to the rest of the crowd. “And because of your Academy Award performance, they bought it.”
     Everyone was stunned for a moment then a cheer went up. They were all congratulating each other. All differences had been put aside. They were a family now. Cesaria turned and pointed out the window at the crowd. The men who had boarded the bus were shouting orders. “They are going to place a placard on the bus to get us through the strike and into the port.” After much confusion, a large cardboard sign appeared. The men strapped it onto the front of the bus and barked a few words to the driver. He barked back and turned the ignition. Another cheer went up.
    Gladys was bloated with pride. “We showed those cannibals what we’re made of! We took them for a ride!”
     Lucia was pressing her blouse with her hands. “I don’t think I’ve ever done anything like that before. It felt wonderful!”
     John was flush with excitement. “Those jerks will think twice before they ever fuck with a pissed off queen again.”
     Justin had his arms around his wife. “I told them their mother was a whore!”
    Courtney gave him a kiss. “And I called them assholes!”
     “Now you see what we Americans can do when we put our differences aside!”, beamed Sally. “We showed them what for!”
     Bob gave her a hug. “They didn’t stand a chance!”
     “What does the sign say?”, Nadine demanded breathlessly. “Make way for the Americans?”

     Cesaria put her hand to her cheek. "Treloi Ameriknoi."
     Buck smiled. “Insane Amerians.”
     Silence descended on the bus like a cloud of cyanide. It took a couple of minutes for the realization to sink into their proud skulls that their asses had been saved because the Greeks thought they were insane.  
     Gladys slowly turned and looked out the window. She noticed three boys lurching alongside below her as the bus slowly meandered through the town. They were laughing. Their eyes were crossed. Their tongues hung out of their mouths. Their arms swung and twitched. Gladys flew into a rage. “Take that God damned sign off the bus!”
     Sally was right with her. “I will not be humiliated by of a bunch of peasants!”
     Courtney grabbed her husband’s arm. “My God, honey! They think we’re all insane!”
     John burst out laughing. Justin glared at him. “Are you laughing at my wife?”
     “Don’t be ridiculous!”, John choked. “I would never laugh at someone who is nuts.”
     Nadine gazed out her window and noticed some local women staring at her with sad looks on their faces as they shook their heads. “Oh my stars!”, she moaned. “They feel sorry for us!”
     Justin raised his chin in the air. “I have a graduate degree from one of the best schools in the country! I’m not going to put up with this!”  
     Courtney put her fists on her hips. “We drowned ourselves in debt to get a good education and what do we get, respect? A good job? No! We’re pitied for being crazy!”
     Bob stomped his feet. “This is outrageous! I have a home in one of the best suburbs in the country! I have a home in Sedona! I have a home in Tahoe!”
     The crowd that had surrounded the bus was following it and more and more curious Greeks were joining the procession. You could see the word ‘parafron’ form on their lips. You could hear it in the air. Gladys was beside herself. She pulled at her hair and pounded her seat. “We are a God damn freak show!”
     Buck stood up and turned around. He lowered his face to hers. It was dark with fury. “That’s right, Comrade, we’re ridin' on the coattails of people bigger than all of us who face more than any of us can imagine. Count yourself lucky and shut the fuck up. We're a fuckin’ freak show and we’re gonna stay a fuckin’ freak show till we jerk and twitch and drag every one of our sorry asses into the ship!”
     “Don’t you threaten me, you terrorist!”, Gladys snarled. “When we get back to the ship, I’m going to report you!”
     Here we go again, Dan thought. He looked out the window and was surprised to see the port only a couple of blocks away. “Buck! I see the port ahead!”
     A column of white smoke arched across the sky, then another and another. A sudden furious yell rose from the crowd of Greeks. They began to scatter as tear gas canisters fell among them.
     Gladys pounded her cane on the floor of the bus. “What the hell is going on?”
     “Tear gas!”, screamed Courtney.
     Nadine threw her hands over her mouth. “Oh, God no! It can’t be!”
     “Everyone off the bus!”, Buck yelled.
     Sally stood and stomped her feet. “I’m an American and I’m not going anywhere!”
     “Then you’ll choke to death!”, Dan yelled. “Let’s get the hell out of here!”
     The gas was drifting into the bus. The driver was long gone. Cesaria was making her way to the front with her hand over her face. “Come on, men!”, ordered Buck “Let’s get the women outa here!” He loomed over Gladys. “It’s now or never, your highness!”
     Gladys jerked back into her seat. “Don’t even think of touching me!”
     “Buck!”, screeched Nadine. “Help! Help!”
     Buck turned, yanked Nadine to her feet and threw her over his shoulder. The crowd stumbled down the aisle. Lucia was next to Cesaria with her arm around Cesaria’s shoulders. Bob dragged his wife to her feet still kicking until a snort of tear gas rendered her helpless. Courtney and Justin were pushing at the backs of Lucia and Cesaria. They all descended the steps and fell into the street.
     John and Dan stood over Gladys. “Come on, girl!”, urged John. “We’ll get you out of here!”
     “Get your fairy hands away from me!”, she roared. “I’m not going anywhere!”
     “For God’s sake, Gladys,”, implored  Dan. “Get up!”
     “You don’t work for a hedge fund, do you? If you did you would be on the Argonaut Adventure instead of some Greek tub!”, she hissed. “You’re a God damned pinko fag like all the rest, aren’t you? Or maybe you’re another terrorist like the fat man!”
     Suddenly a window across the aisle shattered. A tear gas canister burst into the bus. They were blinded. “We have to get out!”, yelled John. The two of them staggered toward the door and down the steps.  
     Buck was waiting for them. “Where’s the old battle ax?”
     “Down for the count!”, panted John.
     Buck pushed past them and into the cloud of tear gas billowing out of the bus. A minute later he appeared at the top of the stairs with Gladys over his shoulder.
     The eleven of them huddled together gagging and choking. Strikers and police swirled around them. A paving stone flew over their heads and bounced off the bus. Two helmeted policemen caught a protester and rammed him against a wall. They beat him with clubs until they were surrounded by a dozen protesters who beat them with fists. A tear gas canister lobbed into the fight and broke it up. Sirens howled. Dan could hear a helicopter hovering overhead. He took Lucia’s hand and, pointing to the port yelled at the others.
    They worked their way down a narrow street that opened on to a small plaza with a fountain in it. They struggled up to the fountain and collapsed. Gladys came to when Buck lowered her down to the paving stones. They could hear ongoing battles raging in the streets. They washed Gladys first. They helped each other wash their faces, their eyes, their hair. They poured water on their clothes.
     Buck started to cough. It got worse. He began gasping for air. His nose was running and saliva was pouring from his mouth. He threw up. He fell toward the fountain. John grabbed him. He scooped water out of the fountain into Buck’s face. “It’s the tear gas!”, John shouted. “He’s had too much of it!” A startled look flashed across Buck’s face, then a panicked look. He began hyperventilating. His eyes rolled back.
     Dan knelt down and grabbed Buck’s hand. “Buck! Stay with us!”
     Lucia was next to Dan. “Buck! What’s your name?”
     John took him in his arms. “Come on Buck!”, he said firmly. “Come back to us! We need you! What’s your name?”
     Buck’s eyes suddenly flew open. He grabbed John’s shoulders. “Buck! My name is Buck!”
     John took Buck’s face in his hands. “Say it again!”
     “Buck.” He pulled away, placing one hand on John’s shoulder and the other on the back of his head. “Thanks.”
     They could see the gates of the port a block away. "We'll never make it in time!", screeched Nadine. "The ship will sail without us!"

     Enough!", boomed Buck. "It's time to move!"

     As clouds of gas drifted through dozens of police and strikers having at each other and swirled and gusted in front of them, they arranged themselves into a phalanx. Buck, John and Dan led. Gladys, Sally and Nadine grabbed their belts and followed. Behind them, Justin and Courtney braced Cesaria. Bob and Lucia brought up the rear. A cop charged them, baton in the air and stopped in his tracks. Two others appeared behind him. The three of them raced forward but were swept away by a mob of protesters. A group of strikers came running at them fists waving then suddenly parted and rushed past. A large man appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Courtney. Cesaria hit him square between the eyes with her cane and he stumbled off. A gust of wind suddenly cleared the air around everyone and they found themselves between a line of strikers and a line of police charging at each other. 

     Dan didn’t know if it was the shock of seeing such a parade appear out of the fog of gas and dust or just blind luck but they all froze and stared. "This is it!", he yelled. "It's now or never!"  

     Everyone began to shuffle, then trot and before they knew it, they were running straight at the strikers and police. The mob parted. They cleared the main gates and arrived at the inner gate. They could see their ship ahead and not far beyond, the Argonaut Adventure. It was cordoned off and surrounded by police. Crew members waiting at the foot of their ship recognized them and rushed down the pier toward them, waiving them forward and helping them onto the ship.
     Suddenly Gladys broke away and started to march back down the pier. Her arm was in the air waving her fist over her head. She had a high and mighty, indignant look on her face. She began to bray. “To hell with you horrible little brown people! To hell with your horrible little brown country! I hate Greece! I hate Greeks! You cannibals will pay for this! I am an American! I am - ”
   Dan raced down the pier, grabbed her by the back of her collar and swung her around. Without a word, he lifted her to her toes and marched her up into the ship. The ship’s horn blew. They did it. They made it.