8. Butcha Are

  

                                                                  BUTCHA ARE
                                                          
    

     No cheer went up as they streamed into the ship. No one stopped to congratulate anyone. They all hurried off to their cabins and staterooms pulling at their wreaking clothes and dreaming of a hot shower. Once again Lucia was dragging Dan behind her as she stomped to her suite. The shower was small but they both squeezed in. They let the hot water pour over their heads for several minutes before picking up the soap and shampoo to wash each other. There was no sensuality in that hot shower, no smiles, no moaning and groaning. They were exhausted. They finally crawled out of the shower and fell on the bed. Dan looked around the room for the scotch bottle then passed out.
     When he awoke, he was starving. He glanced at his watch and was shocked at how late it was. If they hurried, they could just make it before the dining room closed. Dan gently shook Lucia. She rolled over wide-eyed with a glorious smile on her face. “Daniel! What a marvelous adventure! You were wonderful! I love you!”
     “I didn’t do anything more than anyone else.”
     “But you and I!” She kissed him “We were magic! How will I ever forget the look on all those poor fools faces when they realized we were being let through because the Greeks thought we were insane? They were eviscerated! They were outraged! ‘I have a degree from an important university! I have a home in Sedona!’ And we laughed!"

     “Why weren’t you there with them?”, Dan asked, surprised at himself for asking the question. He pushed on. “Now it’s time to take back what was ours to begin with. The time for democracy is over.”
     She sat up on her elbows. Her breasts called to him. She rolled her eyes. “Well, it’s true, isn’t it, Daniel? The time for democracy is over. That horrible little man and his Martian wife made it quite clear before hell itself opened up and swallowed them whole.”
     “But what are we going to do about it?”
     “One thing I’m not going to do is waste my time worrying about it.”, said Lucia exasperatedly. “Onward and upward, Daniel.”
     “So it’s survival of the fittest?”, he demanded. “Dog eat dog?”
     She took his chin in her hand. “Survival, Daniel, survival!  I’m famished! Aren’t you?”
     “I need a drink.”
     “We can get one at the table. Do you want to eat tonight?”
     They threw on their clothes and made for the dining room. They passed the bar on the way. Dan was surprised to see it empty. Another bartender was behind the bar. He stopped and stuck my head in. “No Snezhana tonight?”
     The bartender gave him a bored look. “Snezhana not well. Back tomorrow.”
     “Not well, my ass!”, muttered Dan. “No Buck. No Snezhana. That guy’s incredible. He tries and fails to get on a boat to Gaza in the morning, lives through an earthquake, a riot and tear gas poisoning in the afternoon and still has it in him to pork the bartender in the evening. And he’s older than I am!”
     “Poor baby.”, taunted Lucia. “I’m sure you’ll be yourself again once you have a decent meal in you.”
     The dining room was not crowded. Dan noticed Justin and Courtney just settling down to a table. He walked toward them.
     Lucia was taken aback. “You don’t want to sit with those two, do you, you decrepit Baby Boomer.”
     “I can’t imagine them inviting us to sit with them. But we did have quite an adventure and they were part of it. The least we can do is say hello.” The two of them glanced nervously at each other when they saw Dan and Lucia approaching.
     “Justine, Courtney! We’re glad to see you are alright.”, Lucia beamed through a forced smile.
     “We fell asleep as soon as we got to the room.”, said Courtney. “We woke up just in time and had to eat something. You too?”
     "Yes, the same scenario.”, laughed Lucia. “Well, you two have a good meal. We’ll see you soon.”
     “Won’t you join us?”, asked Courtney with a timid smile.
     Lucia’s eyes widened with surprise. “Oh, I don’t think you want to eat with the old folks.”
     Justin stood up. “My wife is right. We went through a riot together.” He pulled a chair
back for Lucia. “Please.”
     Dan couldn’t believe it. The little monsters had come around. “Well thank you, Justin.” He looked at Lucia. “Shall we?”
     Lucia was grand. “It would be a pleasure! We can exchange notes!”
     As soon as they sat down, a waiter arrived. “I guess we just made it.”, said Justin with a frown. I’m not familiar with Greek food but so far it’s been pretty good.”
     “Daniel and I both love Greek food.”, said Lucia. “Do you like chicken? Their Kotopoulo Lemonato, lemon chicken is wonderful.”
     “That sounds good!”, said Courtney. “I’ll have that.”
     “Do they have lamb?”, asked Justin.
     “Giouvesti tonight.” grunted the waiter.
     “That’s lamb stew in a clay pot.”, said Dan. “It’s good.”
     “I’m in.”, said Justin as he handed the menu to the waiter.
     “How’s the Keftethakia?”, Dan asked the waiter.
     “Keftethakia good.”
     “Oh, they have rabbit tonight!”, announced Lucia. “I’ll have the Kouneli Lemonato.”
     “Don’t tell me they have Bugs Bunny on the menu!” Everyone looked up to see John standing behind the waiter. “Mind if I join you?”
     Justin coughed and looked at the table. Courtney offered a strained smile. Lucia stood up and gave John a hug. “Come on everyone! Make room for a fellow soldier!”
     “All for one and one for all.”, Dan said motioning toward an empty chair. “What’ll you have?”
     “I love rabbit.”, said John. “How is it prepared?”
     The waiter pointed at a menu in his hand. “Kouneli Lemonato, Kouneli me aspri saltsa. Rabbit with lemon. Rabbit with wine and garlic.”
     “Wine and garlic sounds delicious!”, said John as he sat down.
     “And Kreatosoupa me Trahana for everyone to start!”, Lucia said with a flourish. “That’s like minestrone. It’s very good!”  
     “And two scotch on the rocks!”, said Dan in near panic for forgetting all about it. “Make one a double. Anyone else?”
     Lucia rolled her eyes. “Make that a double scotch on the rocks and a gin and tonic, please.”
     “I’ll have a gin and tonic too.”, said John.
     “Mineral water for the two of us.”, said Justin.
     “I’ll have something Greek.”, said Courtney with her chin in the air. She looked at the waiter. “What’s a good Greek drink?”
   “Ouzo good before dinner.” The waiter grunted.
   “Cool! I'll have some Ouzo!”, beamed Courtney.
   “The wine! My God what’s the matter with me?” Dan grabbed a menu from the waiter’s hand. “Bring a bottle of Antonopoulos Chardonnay and a bottle of Lazaridis Amethystos, please.”
    The waiter hurried away. John looked around the table. “Well, together again at last. I don’t suppose anyone else is going to show up tonight after a day like that.”
    Lucia put her hand over her mouth. “I should have checked on Gladys and Nadine! Do
you think they are alright?”
     “Are you kidding?”, laughed John. “Those two could live through Armageddon.”
     “You’re probably right.”, admitted Courtney. “After all, they are the greatest generation.”
     “I beg your pardon?”, asked John.
     “Justin and Courtney have a unique take on the current state of affairs in our great country.”, said Dan quietly, silently praying for the quick arrival of his scotch. “My parent’s generation saved the world. My generation destroyed it.”
     “Oh dudes!”, exclaimed John, placing both hands on the table and leaning forward. “You mean the Baby Boomer plague? I’ve heard about that. That’s way harsh. An asshole is an asshole. Doesn’t matter when he or she was born. Hitler was part of the greatest generation. If I were you, I’d concentrate on who’s screwing you and not when they were born. From what you were telling that politician and his wife, may they roast in hell, you guys have a lot to be pissed about.”
     Courtney was twisting her napkin in her hands. “That’s right.”
    Dan changed the subject. “Have any of you been to Rhodes before? That’s our next island. We arrive late tomorrow morning.” Everyone shook their heads. “You know.”, smiled Dan. “The Colossus of Rhodes, a giant bronze statue standing over the harbor.”
     “Of course, of course!”, smiled John. “Long gone though, right?”
     “I can’t wait to hear what Cesaria has to say about the Colossus of Rhodes.”, said Lucia “Daniel said she had quite a take on the myth of the Minotaur.”
     Justin looked at Courtney. “I wonder if there will be riots there too.”
      “Here are the drinks!”, announced Lucia with relief. “Here’s to a decent end to one hell of day!”
     Courtney raised her glass and elbowed Justin who was looking at his lap with a confused expression on his face. He looked around and reluctantly raised a glass of water. Glasses touched all around. Courtney took a swallow, grimaced, closed her eyes and shook her head then smiled. “That was the most awesome day in my life!” She looked around and caught Justin eyeing her. “Except my wedding day of course.” Justin offered a pained smile. “And the day I found Jesus.”
     “Where was he hiding?”, asked John earnestly. “Just kidding! Just kidding! I should joke. I did a lot of searching after my husband died. No really.”
     “Life is a stormy sea these days", Dan offered. “We’re all searching.”
     “I agree with Courtney.”, said Lucia. “This day was absolutely amazing and we got through it together, despite our differences.”
     “Can you believe the way the Lord took those people?”, asked Courtney wide eyed. “It was like a movie! They disappeared right in front of us!”
     Justin reached over, picked up Courtney’s glass and took a swig. “It scared the hell out of me. Mm, liquorish.”
     Courtney took the glass out of her husband’s hand. “Justin! You don’t drink anymore!”
     John reached over and patted Justin on the arm. “Well, if there was ever a time to start, it’s now. Here’s to new beginnings!”
     “To new beginnings!”, they toasted.
     The waiter arrived with the wine and the soup. Dan tasted the white wine, and the waiter began to pour. Justin put his hand over his glass, saw everyone looking at him then shrugged his shoulders and let the waiter fill his glass. Courtney frowned then sighed and shrugged her shoulders. 

     Dan raised his glass. “And here’s to new friends.”
     “To new friends!”
      “This soup is awesome!”, gasped Courtney. “I’m starving!”
     The table grew quiet as they devoured their food. The soup filled their bellies and the wine stroked their frazzled spirits. Dan looked up and saw Justin smiling at him. He smiled back. Lucia hooked her arm in his. Courtney gave Justin a peck on the cheek. John sighed. The waiter removed the spotless soup bowls. The entrees quickly followed.
     Justin allowed a glass of red to be poured. His face was beginning to match the wine. “I honestly think that spontaneous performance on the bus was one of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced. How could we have possibly pulled it off?”
     “It was like some sort of contagious thrill.”, said John as he wiped his mouth with his napkin. “And what a hilarious anticlimax with the nut job routine.”
     Lucia put down her fork and knife and looked around the table. “I think we were so pumped full of adrenaline after the earthquake and …”
     “Did you see all the security around the Argonaut Adventure?”, asked John. “They were waiting for us.”
     “I’m nervous about all that.”, whispered Courtney. “It’s as if we purposely avoided the authorities.”
     Dan finished his scotch and looked around for the waiter. “We did purposely avoid the authorities. I wonder if they will be waiting for us at the next port.”
     “It could easily be construed as an honest mistake!”, said Lucia urgently. “I mean there was an earthquake and riots.”
     Justin took another swallow of wine. “But it wasn’t an honest mistake! That large man insisted on it! It’s almost as if he had something to hide!”
     Courtney looked nervously at her husband. “Justin, you don’t drink any more. Take it easy.”
     “I’m fine! I’m fine!”, blurted Justin as he waved his wine glass in the air. “That old biddy kept calling him a terrorist then we find out he tried to break the Gaza blockade!”
     “He saved Gladys’ life.” Dan said quietly.
     “And she’s going to report him!”, announced Courtney. “Well, you have to be on the safe side.”
     Dan was astonished. “The safe side? What the hell do you mean by that?”
     “You can never be too sure these days.”, said Justin sternly. “We all have to keep an eye out.”
     “An eye out for what?”, Dan asked. “Terrorists? Commies? My God, we are becoming the Soviet Union. Watch your fellow citizens. Watch your neighbor. Watch your family.”
     Lucia finished the wine in her glass. “I thought Obama was going to end all that Patriot Act stuff.”
     John shook his head. “That and a lot of other Fascist acts under Bush but I wised up sooner than most. That preacher who he invited to give the invocation at the inauguration worked his fat ass off to make sure we couldn’t get married. That was a slap in the face. What was that all about, I thought. Who the hell is this guy and what - ”
     Justin interrupted him. “I thought he was going to appease the terrorists then I thought he was going to protect us. After all, he did get Bin Laden and he signed the Patriot Act again. I thought that was a good thing to keep us safe from the terrorists but now I’m not so sure. What was that senator talking about when he said everything is in place and everyone is having the time of their lives and what was that about detention camps? I’m beginning to think I don’t know what the hell is going on!”
     While Justin drifted toward belligerence, the booze had the opposite effect on his wife. “I find it so awesome that that large man talks like a hic but speaks Greek.”, Courtney giggled. “That’s out of out of a movie too, don’t you think, honey? And that ridiculous old lady with the funny clothes. She was a riot and she spoke Greek too!”
     “Oh come on, Courtney.”, Dan sighed. “She got the bus moving, not once but twice.”
     John laughed into his wine. “I love that girl! What a hoot! I’m going get to know her better. And you’re right about Buck. That man intrigues me. What is he, some sort of East Texas Hemingway? Even those old bags were a couple of characters. We’ve got quite a cast on this cruise.”
     “I have to admit I got a kick out of Cesaria almost throttling Nadine.”, blushed Lucia.
     “And don’t forget Mr. and Mrs. Suburbia.”, said John. “I can’t tell you how appreciative I was when they told me they weren’t prejudiced against gays. Not blacks either, I gathered. She would have kissed Obama’s feet if she got half the chance. I wouldn’t be surprised if she dreams about kissing something else from time to time.”
     A wave of Ouzo infused sentimentality washed over Courtney. “They kind of remind me of my mom and dad. Did you see the way Bob was always there for his wife? He never took his eyes off her. My dad’s like that with my mom. They’re so worried about us.” She frowned sadly.    
     “I thought they were kind of creepy, even for Baby Boomers.”, muttered Justin. He looked down at his plate and picked up his fork, dropped it and picked it up again. “This is the most awesome food I’ve had yet on the cruise! Mmm, really good.” He turned to Dan. “How come you know so much about Greek food and wine?”
     A nostalgic smile crossed Dan's face. “It all started a long time ago when I tended bar in a Greek restaurant when I was - .”
     “I love good food!”, announced Justin. “I sometimes think I can’t get enough of it.”
     “I’m right there with you.”, said John. “I like spicy food. Do you like peppers?”
     “The hotter the better!” relished Justin. “Habaneros are the hottest and I love ‘em.”
     “You know, there is one that is hotter.”, countered John. “Have you ever heard of the ghost pepper?”
     “The ghost pepper is hotter than a habanero?”, mumbled John through a mouth full of lamb. “How hot is it?”
     “You know what they say about peppers, don’t you?”, asked John with an innocent look on his face.
     “No, what?”
     John leered and winked. “They put lead in your pencil.”
     Justin looked intently at John. “I don’t follow you.”
     “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”, smiled John. “A ghost pepper is like a double dose of viagra.”
     Justin gave a start. “Why is it all about sex with you homosexuals?”
     “It’s all about sex with all guys and I dare you to tell me differently.” laughed John.
     Justin was still staring at John. “Exactly when did you become a homosexual?”
     John rolled his eyes. “When I was born. It takes some time to figure it out and accept it. Some people take longer than others what with the threat of being beaten to death and all. Some people come out right away. Some people never come out and are miserable all their lives which is bad enough for the poor devils themselves but misery loves company and all and they just have to spread it around. The worst homophobes are gay themselves, you know.”
     Justin finished off his glass of wine and leaned toward John. “What’s it like, I mean besides the shame and the disease?”
     John didn’t even blink. “Once you get over the hellfire and the leprosy it’s fantastic.  You’re free. You’re unbound. You can have as much sex as you want with as many people as you want. There’s so little awkwardness about sex. I mean, come on it’s guys. Oh sure, there’s jealousy and hurt feelings and even stalkers and violence just like straight people but for the most part you do whatever you want or don’t do whatever you don’t want and there’s no guilt, no guilt and as long as you’re careful, it’s safe and you don’t have to worry about getting anyone pregnant. And when you decide to settle down, you get married like everyone else.  Well, maybe not like everyone else. Not yet, at least.”
     Justin didn’t say a word as he stared at John and let all that he had said sink in. He finally blinked his eyes and smiled. “Cool, I kind of get it. I come from a conservative family. Homosexuality almost never came up and if it did, it was bad.”
     John leaned close to Justin. “Kind of like a dirty secret?”
     There was no more resistance in Justin’s face as his mind started to open. “Sort of.” Suddenly a look of fear crossed his face. “But the church says you people are devils.”
     John smiled and took a drink of wine. “Would Jesus think we are devils? Would the twelve bachelors he always hung around with think so?”  
     Courtney had withdrawn at the memory of her parents. She turned and looked closely at Dan. “I’m sorry we said those things to you. You know, all that Baby Boomer stuff.”
     Dan felt something touch his heart. While John played Justin on the line, he looked at Courtney for the first time, really looked at her. She was a pretty girl. Her eyes were large and a dark shade of brown, unusual for a blond with fair skin. There was an obvious strength in them but a deep melancholy as well. “It must have taken great courage to turn your back on such debt and grab what credit you had left and jump.”
     “We didn’t jump. We were pushed.”, said Courtney quietly. “No jobs, we had to live with our parents because we couldn’t afford an apartment of our own, and the calls from the creditors all day and all night. We fled the country. We’re exiles.”
     “So what are you going to do after the cruise?”, Dan asked. “Are you destitute? Do you have any plans? Do you have any hope?”
     Courtney smiled and looked down at her wine glass. “We thought maybe we might find
work abroad after the cruise. I have a cousin in London I’m very close to. There are people from our church working in Scotland.”
      “So your church will help you one way or another.”

      “Oh, the church.”, said Courtney as an irritated look crossed her face. She swallowed a mouthful of wine. “Sometimes I feel like I was pushed into Jesus too, but He has calmed down Justin and that’s awesome. I was very worried about my husband. The stress was affecting our marriage. It just seems like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. We graduated two years ago and it’s just getting worse.”
   Dan took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “If your husband finds peace in Jesus then so much the better. You can take the church, yours and all the rest of them and toss them back to hell where they came from as far as I’m concerned but Jesus had a lot of good to say. He wouldn’t be very happy with the money changers who ruined you, ruined you and just about everybody else. This recession just drags on and on. So many people who managed to stay in business for the first year didn’t make it through the second. Most who made it through the second year didn’t make it through the third. It seems like the only ones who will survive this thing are the banks and the big corporations and they’re doing gangbusters. They’re sitting on trillions in cash, pay little or no income tax yet they continue to move jobs overseas and make what workers they still employ in America work longer hours while cutting their salaries and benefits. I sometimes wonder if they didn’t bring this calamity about on purpose. While they got billions, trillions in bailouts, the little guy got nothing and we’re sinking fast. How convenient.”
     “We even thought of joining the military.” said Courtney looking away.
     “It’s becoming the only answer these days for young people.” Dan said bitterly.   
     Courtney smiled wistfully. “When I was a little girl, I did all the American little girl things. I
played with dolls. I dreamed of becoming a professor. I pledged allegiance to the flag. I was going to have a successful career and marry and buy a house and raise a family and make the world a better place. When I met my husband and married him, it was awesome. When I got into the school I wanted to, it was awesome. When the banks offered us money to get through school, it was awesome. Then everything began to change. My husband wanted to teach too but we didn't want to go into more debt to get a master's degree and teach college when we found out that if a university was even offering, it was an adjunct job, an independent contract that lasted just a semester, and if there were any high school jobs, they didn't pay enough to live on and repay our loans either.”
     “Every kid grows up and wakes up to reality, or at least they used to.”, Dan said. “Now
they grow up and wake up to a nightmare. When I was a kid, getting an education and buying a house used to be the ticket to happiness and success. Now they’re a ticket to slavery and ruin.”
     “How have you survived?”, asked Courtney.
     Dan looked down at his empty plate and his empty drink. He saw the waiter across the room and caught his attention.  “I’ll have another double scotch on the rocks, please. Who else is thirsty?”
     Lucia’s eyes lit up. “Let’s have some Metaxa! Metaxa is wonderful after dinner. Waiter, Metaxa for everyone, please.”
      Courtney’s eyes were beginning to go their separate ways. “What’s Metaxa?”
     “Greek brandy. Trust me.”, Dan said. “You’ll like it. It’s good for the digestion.”
     “I’ll bet it’s as good as the Ouzo!” blurted Justin. “Mm, Ouzo, awesome.” A knowing
look shot from Lucia to John to me. Justin turned to John again. “I have the feeling you’re implying something obscene and blasphemous with that twelve apostles dig.”
     “Oh you devil, you!”, laughed John. “Is that what you’re trying to say? Look, how about this. I won’t hold the Jesus thing against you if you don’t hold the pervert thing against me.” He offered his hand to Justin.
     Justin stopped chewing, put down his fork, picked up his wine glass and took a gulp. He never took his eyes off John. “We went through a riot together. I’m in.” He shook John’s hand.
     Lucia had been listening to the back and forth. A smile spread across her face. “What about those riots? What about the tear gas?”
     “It’s amazing we made it through all that in one piece.”, marveled John.
     “Did you see the old lady hit that jerk with her cane right between the eyes when he grabbed me ?”, gasped Courtney. “Oh my God, I just now remembered it! She saved me!”
     “And what about marching between the rioters and the police?”, asked Lucia. “I thought for sure we would be smashed between them.”
     “There were cobble stones flying over our heads! One almost hit me!”, panted Justin.
     John frowned. “You should have been on the bus when the tear gas canister crashed through the window. Dan and I tried to help that old bag up and she wouldn’t budge. We had to leave her there. We couldn’t breathe. I don’t know how Buck got her out of there. Or why for that matter.”
     “Where is that big mysterious man tonight?”, asked Courtney, her face flushed red.
     “Fucking.”, Dan muttered under his breath.
     Justin gave him a curious look through slightly crossed eyes. “What’d you say?”
     “Recovering!”, Dan said loudly. “Recovering from the tear gas.”
     John frowned. “It really did hit him. I hope he’s alright.”
     “I’m sure he’s doing just fine.”, smiled Lucia. Her eyes teased Dan. “He loves classical music. He’s probably listening to Bach as we speak.”
     “Bach? Get outa here!”, laughed John. “Willy Nelson, maybe.” He looked closer at Lucia.
“You’re not kidding, are you?”
     Dan gave Lucia a wink. “He’s especially fond of the Goldberg Variations.”
     “Goldberg Variations.”, said Justin to himself. “Cool.”  
      John looked into the distance. “My God, that man fascinates me.”
     “Is anyone familiar with the Goldberg Variations?”, asked Lucia.
     Justin was staring at the wine glass in this hand. “Goldberg Variations. Cool. That large man is cool.”
     The waiter arrived with the drinks. Dan raised his glass. “Here’s to an Oscar winning performance.”
     “Oh my God!”, gushed Courtney. “I’ll never forget that bus ride! Never!”
     They were all thrilled with the adventure and with the booze, some of them more than others. Justin took a swig of Metaxa. He puffed out his chest and shook his head back and forth then took another belt. He seemed lost for a moment as the booze closed in. He looked around the table. “What is it with these Greeksh?”, he slurred. “They riot and destroy because they can’t retire at fifty anymore, because their health care isn’t free anymore? They got themselves into this problem by hiding their debt.”
     Dan looked frowned at his feet. “Didn’t you hear what our guide said this afternoon? Greeks are abandoning their children because they can’t feed them. They’re killing themselves.”
     “And what about the article in the paper that Cesaria read?”, asked John. “They are losing their unions and their jobs.”
     “Austerity measures!”, grunted Justin. “They have to do something to prove their worth.” The ends of his mouth curved downward. “Unions! Huh!”  
     Dan could feel a rage suddenly coming to a boil in his gut. “Austerity measures? Austerity
measures are the excuse to starve the Greek people and pick their bones! This debt is predatory! It’s odious! Austerity measures are the excuse to end Social Security and Medicare at home!”
     Courtney took a gulp of Metaxa and wagged the glass at Dan. “I heard the Greeks hid their debt too. They got themselves into this mess. They can get themselves out of it.”
     “The Greek people didn’t hide their debt.”, hissed Dan. “Wall Street hooked some corrupt politicians and it was done in secret. Wall Street securitized millions of worthless mortgages, rated them triple A, sold them to the world and took out insurance against them. They destroyed the American economy and made a fortune. Americans lost their jobs, their savings, their homes. Marriages were destroyed. Families were torn apart. Millions of American children go to bed hungry. These people disenfranchised their own countrymen. They are destroying nations. They are snuffing out democracy. They should be tried and convicted in The Hague for crimes against humanity then stood up against a wall and shot! Are you going to blame the American people for the Great Recession? You said yourselves how you were victims of loan deceit and loan modification and fees and penalties and compounded interest. You’re a hundred thousand in debt and you’ll never own a home. You’ll never have children. You have given up on your future. Do you blame yourselves?”
     Courtney’s glass froze in midair. A confused look darkened her face. She frowned. A tear rolled down her cheek. Justin turned bright red and looked at me. “Now look what you have done! We were having a good time and you ruined it with your poisonous accusations!”
     Dan was taken aback. He felt bad. “I’m sorry. I really am.”
     “He didn’t ruin anything!”, sobbed Courtney. “He’s right! We were scammed!”  
     Justin took another hit and put his arm around his wife. “Jesush warned us, Courtney. Satin is loose in the land.”
     Courtney shook his arm off her shoulders. “Jesus? Jesus? What the hell is Jesus going to do about it? Is he going to pay off our loans? Is he going to get us a job? I pray and I pray and I still feel like shit! I’m beginning to think this whole Jesus routine is just another con job! And why not? We were scammed out of our money! We were scammed out of our future! We were scammed into a life of indentured servitude to the banks! We were scammed into believing Obama was going to save us! We were scammed into believing Obama is the anti-Christ when he’s just another fucking puppet! And now Jesus is going to fix everything. Well guess what? Jesus isn’t going to fix shit! Maybe we should be in the streets with the Greeks! What’s this Occupy Wall Street that dead asshole was talking about? Maybe I should be there!”
     Lucia put her hand on Courtney’s hand. “I know how you feel, sweetheart. I was scammed into believing my husband loved me.” Her eyes drifted across the room. “I thought I was a naïve fool but now I know I was scammed. I was used. All my friends looked down their noses at me. I was a failure. People hated me for that.”
     John finished off his wine and took a swig of Metaxa. “Shit, people hate me just for being me.”
     Justin had been staring at Courtney with his mouth open. His head wobbled. He closed one eye. He picked up his glass of Metaxa and finished it. “Good grief, Courtney, where did all of thish come from? You never told me you questioned Jesush. You never told me you thought Obama was going to save ush. I’ve never heard you swear like that before. Where is all thish coming from? Is it the booze? Why would you want to join a bunch of hippiesh? Are you drunk?”
     “In vino veritas.”, Dan smiled.
     Justin looked angrily at him “Or is it these Baby Boomersh?"
     Courtney picked up her glass, gave her husband a withering look and downed the Metaxa. “Jesush? Hippiesh? Baby Boomersh? And you’re asking me if I’m drunk? To hell with this Baby Boomer shit! That’s just a scam too! When we get to shore I’m going to take the first flight out and go to New York to make a stand against the assholes who ruined us! That fucking senator and his wife were gloating! Gloating! They knew they were in control! They’re royalty and we’re just peasants, just animals milling around the God damned barnyard waiting to be butchered! I’m glad they’re dead! I'm glad they're dead!! They’re so fucking satisfied as they feed on the rest of us! It’s time we feed on them! Hang them up on meat hooks! Slice them up before they slice us up!”
     “Courtney, darling. You’re making a shpectacle of yourself!”, gasped Justin.
     Courtney pushed her chair from the table. “I most certainly am not!”
     John chuckled. “Butcha are, Courtney. Ya are making a shpectacle of yourshelf.”
     Justin pounded the table with his fist. “Don’t you make fun of my wife, you - you Catamite! I know what you’ve been up to tonight! You’re trying to sheduce me!”  
     “Don’t flatter yourself, kid. You’re not my type. I wouldn’t touch you if you were the last man on earth.”, laughed John.
     “What are you talking - talking about?”, stammered Justin. “All you homoshexuals want is sex all the time with any guy, shpecially if they’re shtraight. I know all about you and that’sh why I don’t like you!”
     There was an interminable silence for a couple of seconds then John turned to Lucia and Dan. “Methinks the lady doth protest too much.” The three of them broke up.
     Courtney was jolted out of her rage. She looked at them then at her husband. “Are you people laughing at my Justin?” She stood up, swayed back and forth and crashed back down into her seat.
     “No, no of course not.”, Dan reassured her still choking with laughter.
     Courtney spoke quietly to herself. “I'm going to get those mother fucking bankers.”
     Now Justin stood up. He listed suddenly and grabbed the table. He looked lost. “Hitler was one of the greatesht generation. Aweshome.”, he said quietly to himself. He looked up.  “You are laughing at me! You’re all laughing at me! I’m not going to tolerate being laughed at by a bunch of parashitshes!” He jerked out his hand to his wife. “Come, Courtney, shweetheart! We are leaving!”
     Courtney struggled to her feet and took her husband’s hand. She looked down at the three of them with proud disdain. “It is time for my husband and myself to leave you to yourselves. Good night.” The two of them turned their backs, stuck their chins in the air and proudly zigzagged out of the dining room.
     “Well that wash quite a performansh.”, marveled Lucia.
     “I found it quite touching.”, sighed Dan. “Those poor kids are in a hell of a spot.” He swirled the metaxa in his glass. “But in good company with the rest of our sorry lot.”
     John watched Courtney and Justin stagger through the dining room doors. “I wouldn’t want to be in their position. Hell, they’re good kids.”
     “He just insulted you.”, said Lucia.
     “He’s drunk.”, said John. “He’s drunk and confused and humiliated by the jam he’s in. He’s a cool kid and his wife is even better.  They’re just striking out at the world that has done nothing but shit on them. They’ll come around when they get things figured out. Mark my word.”
     Lucia gave Dan a glowing smile. “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.”
     John chuckled. “Methinks she does.”
     “Oh, but she’ll keep her word.”, whispered Dan.
     “Have you heard the argument? Is there no offense in it?”, asked Lucia wide eyed.
     “No, no. They do but jest,”, Dan leered. “poison in jest, no offense in the world.”
     Lucia grinned. “What do you call the play?”
     “The Three Parashites!”, announced John. “And this lady always keeps her word.”
     Dan smiled and raised his glass. “Here’s to The Three Parashites!”
     “All for one!”, chimed John.
     “And one for all!”, pealed Lucia.
     Glasses rung all around.