9. What's That Horrible Smell?

  

                                                 WHAT’S THAT HORRIBLE SMELL?
   

     One thing Cesaria had learned about astral projection was that you couldn’t force it. It was all a matter of suggestion. The dream was inconsequential. She was standing in a crowd by the piano in the lobby before the dining room. The piano player was rhapsodic. Cesaria’s feet left the floor and she was off. She glided around the room dipping here and there examining the faces of the others. A young girl clutched the hand of her mother as she marveled at the pianist’s flying fingers. A young man gazed straight ahead ignoring the yearning stares of the girl beside him. A statuesque man in his fifties tapped his foot to the music and smiled serenely. Cesaria noticed a large window in the room. She floated to it then drifted through it. Her ankle caught in the glass and she turned to gently free it. She sailed out into the darkness. The waves reflected the light of the stars just barely. She turned and looked at the ship churning steadfastly into the night. She looked above her, paused for a moment then shot straight up into the heavens.
   Her cabin was dark when Cesaria awoke and she did not know where she was. The experience was familiar these last few years and for good reason. She had witnessed loved ones die at an alarming rate, left a comfortable middle-class life behind, traveled the world and slowly but surely opened her eyes to the dark cloud descending upon it. This morning she did not know what time in her life it was. That had only happened once or twice and it was always unsettling. This morning it was not.  When she realized she was floating in a void without time or space, she was filled with the innocent wonder of youth. Reality would arrive in its own good time. It was quiet. She was in a warm bed. The bed was moving. She was at sea. The ship’s horn sounded. She was sailing her beloved Aegean. The pain in her neck was back. She was no longer young. Suddenly the memories of the day before rushed in. She had toured Knossos with a diverse group of Americans who, rather than marvel at one of the wonders of the world fought like rats. She had negotiated tear gas and riots, a stubborn bus driver and an angry mob. She had the personal audience of an important charlatan running for president of the United States and his twisted, coiled snake of a wife. She had watched them die right in front of her. She smiled in the darkness. Yesterday was Crete. Today would be Rhodes and her family. The images of her cousins and nieces and nephews flashed before her eyes. She wondered what they would look like now. It had been so long. Many of the children she had not even seen. She reached for the light and was back in her small cabin. She pulled herself up, sat on the edge of the bed and began her morning yoga. She may not have learned much in Kerala but she had learned yoga and that kept the pain under control. When she stood, she went to the mirror and looked at herself. She was still relaxed from the hours in her small bathtub the night before. She would have coffee on the Lido. Dressing for the day was such a pleasure on a cruise, she thought as she assembled her ensemble. Dressing for her family was a joy.
                                                                  *
     Dan awoke in the early morning black with the fear wrapped around his racing heart. His eyes darted around the room. Consciousness opened the door to safety. He was in Lucia’s suite. She lay sleeping beside him. He looked out the balcony window and caught the first blush of dawn. He was at sea. He was sailing the Aegean. He was back in the arms of the Levant. The fear began to peel off him. A puddle of creamy light spread across the horizon. He kissed Lucia’s cheek, rolled
out of bed and dressed. He left a note on her mirror.
     The deck was deserted. Dan walked it dazed, with confidence slowly filling his empty soul again. The booze from the night before scratched at him as always. The booze slashes away the fear in the evening and opens up your guts to it when you face another day with fewer options than you had the day before. He felt like time was running out for him. He couldn’t let that out. He had to keep it hidden until he figured something out. But he had already tipped his hand to Lucia. What would a wealthy right-wing beauty want with a washed up liberal bust? But that was the point. They didn’t care about where they came from or who they were before they stepped into that cab in Athens. They set each other free. Was that love? Should he give a damn what it was? He couldn’t get enough of her. Wasn’t that enough? His mind wandered to the others he had met on the cruise. He realized most of them had something hidden. Probably they all did. He wouldn’t have been surprised if even Bob and Sally had a very nasty skeleton in their closet that they were running from. Everyone takes a vacation to get away from the daily drudge but why did he feel that everyone was running from something? He should have been amused, amused by their hypocrisy, amused by their bickering, amused by their mentally challenged stage debut. Then he remembered the millennia of history and the tons of divine retribution crashing down on the heads of the senator and his wife. He smiled.  He remembered Justin saying Satan was loose in the world. The fear hung over him. The fear hung over them all. This day the Aegean dawn kept him safe. Its silence slowed his pulse. For a moment he was at peace. At least he wasn’t reaching for a drink in the half-light of dawn. What could he reach for? He stared at the sea slowly rising and falling like the breasts of a beautiful woman dreaming of fond memories. Fond memories. He remembered dining in the Plaka many years ago in a roof top restaurant at the base of the Acropolis. He remembered staring up at the Parthenon glowing in the warm evening sky. He remembered a bouzouki serenade, the Ouzo and the Mezes, a dark-haired woman at his side with an impossibly long neck and obsidian eyes, full lips dancing over glistening teeth, a smile that could make a man faint.
                                                                  *
     The smell of coffee led Dan to the Lido. A waiter gave him a mug and he scanned the collection of umbrella covered tables. They were all empty save one. Cesaria was bent over a steaming mug. “Good morning.”, he said quietly. “May I join you?”
     “Good morning to you, Dan.” Cesaria waived her arm at the sunrise. “Isn’t it grand?”
     “That’s why I’m here. It calms me down.”
     “Still edgy from yesterday's skirmishes?”, asked Cesaria.
     He sat down. “Something like that.”
     “Something like that, indeed, young man. Been fighting some demons, have we?”
     He ignored her prodding. “I’m surprised to see anyone else up so early after a day like yesterday. I trust you are well?”
     Cesaria lowered her coffee mug and looked at him. “I enjoyed the day very much, especially after we managed to make it back to the ship in time. I have a bathtub in my room. I spent a couple of hours in it last night relishing the memories.”
     “I was relishing some memories of my own this morning. They are a comfort but only to a point. I think it’s time to make some new ones, this time without the earthquakes and the tear gas.”
     “The cruise has just begun.”, smiled Cesaria. “There are other islands to visit.”
     “And more strikes and more tear gas?”
     Cesaria looked away. “And an inquisition by the authorities.”
     Dan changed the subject. “We arrive at Rhodes this morning. Last night at dinner your musings on Knossos came up. Lucia thought you might have a story for us about the Colossus. Can you indulge me?”
     “Oh, I don’t know.”, sighed Cesaria. “I’m awfully worn out from yesterday.”
     “Forgive me. You ought to be. You were magnificent. How is it that you speak Greek?”
     Cesaria took a sip of coffee and gazed at the sun climbing out of the sea. “My father’s family was originally from Brazil. They immigrated to the States where he was born. My mother was Greek. She was born on Rhodes. I have not been there for a very long time. I have relatives there. I am looking forward to returning.”
     Dan followed her gaze. “I was there once before. It has been a long time for me too. Greece is a different place now. When I first set foot on Patmos there was one tourist cafe in Skala.”
     “Greece is different but the Greeks are the same. They will always be the same.”, Cesaria said more to herself than to Dan. “Did you know the Statue of Liberty was inspired by The Colossus of Rhodes?”
     “I did not.”
     “The poem by Emma Lazarus inscribed at her feet is named The New Colossus: ‘Not like the brazen giant, with conquering limbs astride from land to land, here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand, a mighty woman with a torch,’. Bartholdi, the Frenchman who created her was inspired by the Colossus, as well he should have been. The Colossus of Rhodes was almost as large as the Statue of Liberty. It was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It took twelve years to build it and it only stood for fifty-six years until it was destroyed by an earthquake. There are a lot of earthquakes in Greece you know.” Cesaria offered a knowing smile. “But it’s ruins lay on the soil of Rhodes for eight hundred years.”
                                                                 *
     The dawn light tapped on Courtney’s eyelids. A shooting pain in her head brought her to consciousness. She rolled over in her bed and grimaced. She remembered the searing pain of tear gas and memories of the day before filled her scattered thoughts. A large man came running at her. She saw the agony in his face when it met the back of Cesaria’s cane. She remembered weeping in the shower as she washed the terror of the riots out of her hair. There was a taste of liquorish in her mouth. The laughing faces of her dinner companions danced in her head. She gingerly raised herself from her bed and reached for her husband all the while battling the pain in her head. She shook him gently. He did not respond. She shook him harder and called his name. He groaned miserably. She thought better of waking him and crawled into the shower. Ten minutes later she crawled out. The pain had subsided somewhat. The tiny cabin felt claustrophobic. She needed air. She dressed and carefully bent down to kiss her husband on the cheek. My sweet man, she thought. My sweet, sweet man. You sleep. I love you so much.
     The morning twilight lifted the pain a bit more. She walked along the promenade deck toward the stern and remembered her drunken tirade against the world. She pushed it out of her mind. Suddenly the horrible empty fear that had invaded her sanity more and more as the world closed in on her hopes and dreams was back. She stopped and gasped. She grabbed the rail and breathed in the salt air. Her heart was slamming in her chest. Tears rolled down her cheeks. She bent her head. “Please, Lord Jesus.", "Forgive my blaspheme, last night. I don’t know why I doubted you. I don’t understand things hardly any more. I don’t know why I’m here. I don’t know what I am going to do. I don’t have anymore money. I don’t want to end up on the street. I am so scared. Please help me. I am so scared. Please help me.” The quiet surge of the sea calmed her panic. She opened her eyes to the swelling Aegean. She sighed. “Thank you, Lord. Thank you.” She would get a job in England. Justin would get a job. Let it go, she said to herself. Look where you are. Look what you have experienced already. Look at the strange and wonderful people you have met. The sounds of a quiet conversation chased away any lingering fear. She saw Dan and Cesaria sitting together at a table on the Lido. She walked toward them. She paused for a moment when she was in earshot and took in the back and forth. Cesaria was talking about the Statue of Liberty and the Colossus of Rhodes. Courtney approached them with a smile on her face.
                                                                *
     “Hello again. I think I owe you an apology.”
     They both looked up. “If anyone owes an apology, it is I”, smiled Dan. “I did not mean to upset you last night. Will you sit with us?”
     “On the contrary, you were awesome,”, said Courtney as she sat down. “at least as far as I’m concerned. I can’t speak for my husband. He’s still asleep.”
     “More cannibals dancing around the cooking pot?”, guessed Cesaria.
     “I’m afraid so.”, said Dan. “Courtney, Cesaria was giving us a history lesson on the Colossus of Rhodes.”
     A waiter placed a mug of coffee in front of Courtney. “I overheard. Please, ma’am, continue.”
     “Well.”, said Cesaria.  “Over two thousand years ago, the island of Rhodes was besieged. In 304 BC, its citizens defeated the enemy, and The Colossus was erected to the god of the sun thanking him for their victory. When it was destroyed by an earthquake only a few years later, the king of Egypt offered to rebuild it but the Oracle of Delphi recommended against it. When Rhodes fell to invaders in 654, the conquerors sold it for scrap.”
     “Go on.”, Dan urged after a pause.
     “That’s it.”, said Cesaria. “I’m tired.”
     “But where’s the hidden hubris?”, Dan asked anxiously. “Where’s the perversion, the cannibalism?”
     “You tell me.”, smiled Cesaria.
     “You said the Statue of Liberty is similar to the Statue of Rhodes in size and inspiration.”, said Courtney. “I think it’s similar to the Statue of Rhodes in another way.”
     Cesaria’s eyebrows arched. “How is that, my dear?”
     “The Statue of Liberty has fallen and been sold for scrap as well.”
      “You’re right, my dear.”, said Cesaria. “The huddled masses once more yearn to be free. The first time they left the old world for the promise of the new, they faced Industrial America. We Americans have constructed quite a fairy tale about the immigrants who filled our factories a hundred years ago. We hear little of what life was really like back then, the squalid tenements, child labor, twelve-hour workdays, six days a week waiting for you if you were young and healthy, and disease, drugs, alcohol, starvation, and death if you were not. That Emma Lazarus fairy tale is propped up by a hundred years of struggle by those intrepid people, not to rise themselves up by their bootstraps as the myth has it, but to fight against the tyranny and oppression of the Robber Barons and the Gilded Age. And an amazing thing happened. They won. They won enough to have a decent life, an honorable life and a way upward in society, you know, the American Dream.”  
     “The American Dream is just that, a dream.”, said Courtney. “And we have all awakened to a nightmare. Last night when you asked me if I blamed myself for the terrible mess I’m in, a light went off in my head and it was awesome. I realized that I had been convinced that the recession and debt and misery in my country was caused by my parents’ generation. That kind of idiocy was a crown of anger and resentment that had been placed on my head and pushed down over my eyes. I was blaming any one and everyone except the powerful people who put it on my head in the first place. My husband and I turned to Jesus in search of some sort of peace. We found peace, some peace but no answers. Last night I didn’t know what I was going to do. This morning, I feel better. I know my cousin or my friends in the church will get us work in Britain. I know they will. We can get on our feet a little bit, maybe send back money to our families. Both of our families went into debt to help us with our debt. It will be awesome living and working in another country. We will be the new huddled masses yearning to be free only this time we will be traveling in the opposite direction.”
     Cesaria patted Courtney’s hand. “Go to England. You will eventually find yourself. You will eventually find peace. I have been looking for peace for a long time and have not found it yet. I can’t wait to see my relatives on Rhodes. I don’t know if I’ll find any peace there but I am looking forward to it very much indeed.”
                                                                    *
     Buck woke up alone in his cabin. He was not surprised. He figured Snezhana had left the minute he fell asleep. She could be fired if she was found out. No fuckin’ the passengers, thought Buck with a smile. He went to the bathroom and took a boiling piss. He walked back to the bed and snapped open his laptop on the nightstand. He perused Al Jazeera to see what was new in Libya. He read a column on a group of young people camping out in Zuccotti Park in lower Manhattan. They called themselves Occupy Wall Street. He smiled and closed the screen. Then the ghosts returned. They crowded into the cabin and stared at him. He stared back. Not bad, he thought. I got a few minutes to myself without you this morning. I can thank that Bulgarian with the tight ass for that. A small child stunted by malnutrition pushed his way to the front of the crowd and extended his hand. His eyes were listless. “I am hungry. I hurt all over.”, he said in Arabic. Buck shook himself, walked back into the bathroom and began to shave. Faces in the mirror crowded around his. A small Vietnamese woman suddenly looked terrified. The razor slipped and Buck cut himself. He placed the razor on the sink, pinched the bridge of his nose, closed his eyes and moaned. The shower washed the shadows away for a moment. He wondered why fate had kept him from Gaza. He relived the tear gas poisoning of the afternoon before. It had never affected him like that. He remembered the senator and his wife disappearing into the damnation they had brought on themselves. He smiled. When he pulled back the shower curtain and reached for the towel, a beautiful woman stood naked before him. His heart began to beat irregularly. “Not now, Sophia.”, he said aloud. “Not now.”  He quickly dressed and made his way to the promenade deck. The knowledge that the authorities would be waiting in Rhodes blackened everything further. Escape would be tricky. Then he saw the sun rising from the sea. His worried frown turned to a grateful smile. There should be food and coffee on the Lido, he thought as he walked. He had not eaten for twenty-four hours. His pace quickened.
                                                                    *
     Dan glanced across the horizon thinking he might catch a glimpse of Rhodes. Instead, he saw Buck ambling across the deck with a mug of coffee in his hand. He smiled and approached.
     “Kalimera!”, smiled Cesaria.
     “Kalimera!”, barked Buck. “Ti Kanis?”
     “Kala, efharisto. Kathiste mazi mas.”
     Buck took a seat next to Cesaria and gave Courtney a once over. “And how’s the angry young babe with the fire in her eyes?”
     Courtney blushed. “Not so angry this morning, at least not at your generation.”
     “She has come to her senses.”, said Dan. “She’s going after the Wall Street bankers. Do you remember that, Courtney?”
     Courtney smiled sheepishly. “I do now.”
     “Atta girl. I’ll be there with you.”, growled Buck. “What are we goin’ to do to ‘em?”
     “Bring them before the people.”, Said Courtney firmly.
     “Before a committee.”, said Cesaria. “In front of a big table.”
     “And you’ll be sitting behind that table.”, said Dan somberly.
     Buck leaned toward Courtney. “With a gavel in your hand.”
     “And what are you going to say when they’re dragged up before you?”, Dan asked with a sly smile on his face.
.     “Off with their heads!”, Courtney shouted.
     Everyone broke up. “My goodness! That felt awesome!”, gasped Courtney.
     Dan was happy to see a beautiful young woman beginning to shed her bitterness.     “I want to see the look on their face when they’re dragged whining and whimpering before her.”
     “They won’t never have the courage to look up.”, smiled Buck. “They won’t even notice the shit drippin’ down their legs and fillin’ their shoes."
     Courtney’s eyes were wide. Color filled her cheeks. She wore a broad grin from ear to ear. “Off with their heads!”
     Buck offered Courtney a paternal grin. “So, what brought you around, darlin’?”
     Courtney sighed. “Dan and Lucia and John and my husband and I had quite a dinner together last night. Too much to drink. Or maybe just enough depending on how you look at it. Did you enjoy your evening with Bach?”
     Buck’s eyes widened. “What?”
     “Dan and Lucia said you probably spent the evening with Bach, The Goldberg Variations to be precise.”
     Buck looked at me and smiled. “Yeah, sure, Doll. The Goldberg Variations. A sudden storm, a man’s sweetheart cryin’, two lovers rollin’ in the sheets, rollin’ and kissin’ and gaspin’ and yellin’ and lovin’.”
   A confused look crossed Courtney’s face. Cesaria smiled. “If you are a fan of Bach, surely you are fan of Greek music, Buck.”
     “Hopa!”, grinned Buck as he raised both arms in the air and snapped his fingers.
     Cesaria’s face lit up. “I will introduce you all to my relatives on Rhodes. We will dance.” 
     “Who do you have there?”, Dan asked. 
     “My mother’s sister's family is there. Her son and two daughters are still with us. Their children are your age.” Cesaria looked at Courtney. “And their children are your age and some of them have children. Things have been very difficult for them but the family has land. Everyone is beginning to live off it now. The Greeks are returning to the land if they can. If they cannot pay the electricity bills, they do without. If they cannot afford central heat, they do without. They are learning to be strong.”
     Courtney looked at Dan. “Last night you said Greece’s debt is odious. That’s a strange way of describing it.”
     Cesaria patted Courtney’s arm. “Not strange at all, my dear. Odious debt is a legal theory first proposed by a Russian by the name of Alexander Sack in 1927. It basically states that if another country, an entity outside a country like, oh I don’t know, a bank, the country’s leaders themselves or a combination of any or all instigate a debt on a country that profits them to the detriment of the country and its people, it is their debt and not the people’s debt and it is therefore non-binding. The theory was inspired by the repudiation of Mexico’s debt incurred under Maximilian and America’s dismissal of Cuba’s debt under Spain after the Spanish American War. Odious debt can occupy and decimate a country almost like an occupying army. It hangs over the Third World like a Sword of Damocles. Half of Ecuador’s budget is slated to pay interest on IMF and World Bank Loans. The same for a quarter of Egypt’s budget. Greece’s debt is odious. Your debt, my dear is odious.”
     Courtney let loose a weary smile. “Now I have a name for it.” Everyone fell silent.
     Suddenly Courtney shattered the gloom. “Dolphins! I see dolphins!” She jumped up and ran to the rail. She leaned into the breeze as it lifted her hair from her shoulders. With one arm over the rail and the other reaching toward the sea, she stretched her fingers out to the school of dolphins flying through the air beneath her. Her eyes were wide open. Her face was flushed. She laughed with delight.
     “That”, said Cesaria “is our country’s future.”
    A look of admiration bloomed on Buck’s face. “And ain’t it a glorious thing to see?” 
                                                                              *
     Lucia knew she was alone before she even opened her eyes. A slight headache nagged her. There was a terrible, stale taste in her mouth. What the hell have I got myself into, she thought. I’ve thrown myself at a man I know nothing about after being deserted by a man I thought I knew everything about. And he’s a God damned liberal. What do I do on the rebound? Fall for a God damned liberal. I was a fool even to consider I might show him the errors of his ways. Christ, I’m beginning to think he is changing me. I’ve caught myself saying and thinking idiotic, liberal gibberish ever since I met him. And from what he’s been letting slip, he just might be broke and unemployed. It looks like I’ve caught myself a loser. I better throw him back into the sea before it’s too late. She looked around the suite and saw a note stuck in the frame of her mirror. Her heart sank. A Dear Jane letter left on a mirror, she thought. How trite. The morning light that filled the suite suddenly darkened. What did I do? What did I say? How could he just end it while we’re still at sea? God damn fucking men. She rose in a fury and tore the note from the mirror. She felt like a fool. It was practically a love letter. She let it fall to the floor. She began to cry. I am such an idiot. I’m a mess. She stepped into the shower. I must be hooked, she thought as she let the hot water steam out the booze. My heart’s up and down like a schoolgirl’s. She dressed and made her way to the deck. When she reached it, she put her hands on the rail and took in the glorious sunrise.
                                                                  *
     Justin tried to force himself back to sleep but the pain in his head would not let him. Please, Jesus, he prayed. Let me sleep. Let Courtney sleep. At the thought of his wife, his eyes snapped open. When he saw he was alone, he sat up. A furious pain stabbed his head. Forgive me, Jesus, he thought. Forgive me. He did not bother with a shower. He had to find his wife. Why had she left him alone? Had he done something stupid when he was drunk? He couldn’t even remember leaving the dining room. Did I say something to my wife? Did I hurt my beautiful wife who fills me with life? Lord Jesus, he thought. I will never drink again. Please don’t let her hate me. Please don’t let me be alone. He dressed quickly and stumbled to the door. He knew he would find his wife on the deck. When he opened an outside door, he saw the silhouette of a woman leaning against the rail looking at the sea. “Courtney!”, he gasped. “Are you alright?”
     Lucia turned and looked at Justin. “My God, young man. You look like hell warmed over.”  
     “I have to find my wife!”, Justin blurted. “I woke up and she was not there!” 
     Lucia took Justin’s arm. “I know just how you feel, my friend. I woke up alone as well. Let’s you and me go find those ingrates.” As Lucia led Justin to the rear of the ship they saw a young woman suddenly race to the rail and hang over.
                                                                   *
     “Courtney! Be careful!” Everyone turned to see Justin standing on the deck with his hand over his forehead and a painful wince on his face.
    Lucia was standing next to him. She led him to the table. “Make way for the walking wounded.”, she smiled. “Will someone please get this young man a cup of coffee before he expires on the spot?” A waiter filled the mugs and placed two more on the table. Lucia sat down.
     Courtney joined them. “Do you have a headache?”, she asked her husband.
     “Of course he has a headache.”, chided Lucia. “Don’t you?”
     “I did.”, said Courtney. “But it’s gone now. Justin, come to the rail and see the dolphins. They’re awesome!”
     “Go on, Boy.”, chuckled Buck. “They’re better lookin’ than them pink pachyderms you was dancin’ with last night.”
     Lucia frowned. “Go easy on him, Buck. He doesn’t drink.”
     “I never will again.” Justin looked accusingly at his wife. “I woke up and didn’t know where you were.”
     Buck smiled. “Take a load off your feet, boy.”
     Courtney frowned. “Oh, sweet heart, I wanted you to sleep. I felt so terrible myself, I wasn’t thinking straight.”
     Justin put a hand to his face and winced. “I thought for a moment I’d lost you, baby. I thought I said something bad last night when I was -”
     Lucia shot Dan a look. “You mean she didn’t have the decency to leave you a note?”
     Dan shrugged and glanced up to see a waiter carrying a large tray. He set it on the table. There were pastries stuffed with cheese, pots of honey and yogurt and tahini, bowls of olives, plates of fruit and baskets of medallion pancakes. “Eat, Justin. It’s the best cure for a hangover.”
     “Olives for breakfast?”, moaned Justin as he sat next to Buck who was ravenously stuffing his mouth with food.
     Lucia spread a pancake with honey, wrapped a strawberry in it and pushed it into Justin’s mouth. A grateful smile warmed his face. Courtney threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek. Everyone dug in. The sun was climbing higher in the sky and baking away the morning chill. Everyone seemed so comfortable. It almost had the feeling of a family table.
     Cesaria looked at Justin and Courtney. “You will learn to love the food of Greece.”
     “Cesaria has family on Rhodes.”, said Dan. “She has offered to introduce us to them.”
     “You will all meet them.”, said Cesaria.    
     “I think I already love Greek food. It’s awesome.”, mumbled Justin over a mouthful.
     Buck patted him on the back. “Atta boy! I heard you had quite a dinner last night. Even shared a table with a sinner.”
     Justin looked into Buck’s eyes first with curiosity then with genuine fascination. “John and I made a deal. He won’t hold Jesus against me if I don’t hold Satan against him. I can’t remember much past that.  I remember you speaking Greek to the bus driver. How is that you speak Greek?”
     Buck was surprised at the question. “I don’t. Not really too good.”
     Justin was insistent. “But I heard you speaking it. It came naturally to you.” 
     Buck turned and looked at the Aegean. His pause caught the attention of the rest of them. “My wife was Greek.” 
     Justin seemed enthralled. “What was her name?”
     Buck stared long and hard at the sea. “Sophia.”
     Justin leaned close to Buck. “That’s a beautiful name. Was she beautiful?”
    “Slim. Not like me. Black, curly hair like on the vases. A nose like on the statues. Brown eyes. Brown eyes.”
     She is with Jesus now.”, sighed Justin.
     Buck spun around in his chair. There was fury in his face. “Screw that shit, boy! What the hell is a young man full of life and married to a gorgeous young babe waistin’ his time with holy roller crap for? It’s just gonna poison you and suck the life outa you! You get religion and you’re no better than a cockroach, small, dirty and stupid. Life’s about now, boy, not about when you’re dead! Think about your pecker, boy, not your salvation!”
     No one said a word. Justin was white. His mouth hung open. The anger drained out of Buck’s face. He looked tired. He sighed. “Sorry, kid. It’s a touchy subject.”
     Justin’s mouth slowly closed. The shocked look on his face was replaced by a strangely warm, almost reverent look. “That’s cool. My wife said something similar to me last night. Things have been very difficult for us, for me. When Jesus came into my life, he helped me get through the day.”
    Buck smiled. “Bourbon helps me get through the day, boy but it ain’t the answer. It can strangle you if you’re not careful. So can religion.”
     “Amen to that."“ said Dan.
     “And amen to the little things that get us through the day.”, said Cesaria.
     A smile lit up Lucia’s face. “What a wonderful thing to say. And isn’t it a beautiful morning? I should go find Gladys and Nadine. They should be out enjoying this lovely breakfast with the rest of us.” And she was off before Dan could say a word.
     Courtney watched Lucia walk away and turned to her husband. “I’m sorry what I said about Jesus last night, honey. There was a lot to drink and I was angry.”
     “When I’m angry,  sometimes I question Jesus.”, said Justin.
     Courtney was taken aback. “You question Jesus?”
     “Children, please!”, said Cesaria. “Faith is an ongoing conversation.”
     “Yeah,”, snorted Buck, “Hello. Goodbye.”
     Dan leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head. “I’m with you there, my friend. Religion is just another form of politics, a way to control people. When God comes into your life, you don’t need a middle man.”
     “But the church is a sanctuary.”, pleaded Courtney.
     “A sanctuary of dumb fucks, no offense.”, grumbled Buck. “It don’t matter if you’re a Jew or a Moslem or a Mackerel Snapper, you’re told who to fuck and how to fuck ’em. Religion tells you you’re the chosen people and you can wipe the people that ain’t chosen off the face of the earth. Religion tells you the world is comin’ to an end and everyone is gonna burn in hell except you and you’re goin’ to heaven. What the fuck are you gonna do in heaven, park your ass on a cloud and play a harp? What a bunch of horse shit.”
     “I think I like the way the Greeks figured out religion is the best.”, said Dan. “The first people were so close to nature they were nature, so their gods were animate: ravens, eagles, bears, lions. Early civilization combined the two. Sumerian and Egyptian gods were human with jackal heads, eagle heads, crocodiles. Then the Greeks came along and made their gods human, with human strengths and weaknesses, more like friends and family. That worked out so well their conquerors, the Romans went along with it. Then something went horribly wrong.”
     “I feel sometimes no one loves us.”, said Courtney. “And everyone despises us. But I know Jesus loves us, no matter what and that saves me. You know”, she smiled, “Jesus saves.”
     “Praying to the Lord grounds me.”, said Justin.
     Buck shrugged his shoulders. “I ain’t got nothin’ against prayin’, boy. I pray all the time. And I ain’t got nothin’ against Jesus. It’s them that gets between you and God, like Dan said, that will burn in hell.”
     “But the morning is heavenly,”, announced Cesaria. “and no one is going to burn in hell today. End of conversation.”
     Dan smiled. “The priestess has spoken.”
                                                                *
     Bob woke to the rush of water in the shower. He was starving. He had been too exhausted the night before to eat the meal Sally had ordered in the suite. His plate was still by the bed. He reached over and inhaled a pork chop. Someone was singing. Sally was singing. The tune was familiar. He listened closer. “We shall overcoooome! We shall overcoooome! We shall overcome some daaayaayaaay!”
     Bob moaned and fell back in bed. He covered his ears and dug himself back into the mattress in disgust. The shower shut off. There was peace and quiet. Suddenly Sally appeared in the bathroom doorway in all her glory. “Are you awake, honey?”, she twittered. “I spy with my little eye a big handsome daddy looking for a little love and here I am, clean as a whistle and naked as the day I was born! Does that give you any ideas?” Bob groaned. “Oh, sweety!”, she pouted. “Is papa still pooped out from yesterday? Well, he should be after taking care of mama in those horrible riots. What you need is some coffee and breakfast! Come on, big boy. Let’s get you showered and dressed.”
     Bob walked to the shower without looking at his wife. I should feel guilty, he thought, but sometimes I just can't stand the sight of her. Sally's beaming smile was frozen on her face. It stayed there while she dressed. After a shower, Bob felt good enough to dress and let his wife drag him to the deck. When they opened the outside door, they found themselves in a cool fog. “That’s strange.”, said Sally. “I thought sure I saw the sunrise through the window.” She took Bob’s arm and pulled him forward. “Come on, honey. Let’s get you to the Lido and breakfast.”
                                                                *
     A sudden patch of fog blew out of nowhere. The temperature dropped. Everyone gave a start and twisted uncomfortably in their chairs. Dan noticed two figures walking toward them in the mist. “Hello? Hello? Hello!”, warbled Sally. “Everyone is here already! What a beautiful day!”
     A waiter moved over a couple of chairs from a nearby table and brought two more mugs of coffee. “Oh no, no, no!”, protested Sally as Bob slid a chair under her. “No coffee for me. I’ve given it up. A few years ago, Bob had a high blood pressure incident. We had to get him to the emergency room and the doctors recommended he give up coffee until his system calmed down so of course, I gave up coffee too and, don’t you know, I had a terrible withdrawal what with being all fuzzy headed and the head aches and I couldn’t think straight for a couple of weeks at least so I said to myself, if giving up coffee is going to make me miserable, maybe I should give it up for good so I did, and even though Bob has started drinking coffee again, I haven’t been in the least bit tempted, and now, even if I do say so myself, when I see everyone lining up for their cup of coffee at the coffee shop in the morning with that jumpy, stressed out dare I say pitiful look on their faces, I have to admit I sometimes just feel a teensy weensy bit smug.”
     A gust of wind picked up the mist and swirled it around for a moment before blowing it away. Everyone was silent as the sun warmed them up. Buck crossed his arms across his chest. “Well, that was quite an entrance, darlin’. I didn’t even see you take a breath. Do you ever whistle in the dark?”
     “Do I ever whistle in the dark?”, asked Sally with a start. “Well, I suppose someone has to be brave sometimes.”
     There was an awkward pause. “It looks like no one is the worse for wear after our adventure yesterday.”, offered Bob. “I slept like a baby for fifteen hours! I couldn’t even eat dinner last night. Look at that spread!”
     “Help yourself.”, said Cesaria. “We’ve had a delightful conversation about The Colossus of Rhodes and The Statue of Liberty and religion.”
     “We saw dolphins!”, gasped Courtney. “They were awesome! They were leaping out of the water right along the ship! I could almost touch them!”
     Bob was sitting next to Courtney. He leaned close as he reached for a handful of
pancakes. “That must have been very exciting. I’ve always thought dolphins were the most wonderful of creatures.”
     Dan was surprised at Bob’s sudden interest in Dolphins. “Cesaria has family on Rhodes she hasn’t seen for a very long time. She said she will introduce us to them.”
     Sally was piling a plate with fruit. “Wouldn’t that be wonderful!  We’ll have a fabulous day!”
     Bob gave Courtney a warm smile. “You seem somehow different than when we met yesterday, relaxed kind of.”  
     Courtney returned the smile. “I have been doing a lot of thinking. Yesterday was very traumatic. It was exciting. It was scary. It was cool. I think the experience put a different perspective on things for me. If so many awesome things can happen in one day, maybe we shouldn’t be so worried about how things will turn out.”
     “And how are things going to turn out?”, asked Bob.
     “We’re going to get jobs in the U.K.”, said Courtney firmly.
     Justin looked at Buck. “We’re going to start calling today or tomorrow. People from our church living in Scotland are going to help us. You know, offer us sanctuary.”
     “You got me there, kid.”, smiled Buck.
     Bob shook his head. “They are having as hard a time in England as they are at home.”
     “My cousin in London will get us work.”, said Courtney defiantly. “I know she will. We have to get work. We have to and we will.”
     Justin was still looking at Buck. “Tell me, Buck is there a boat leaving for Gaza from Rhodes?”  
     Buck shrugged his shoulders. “Nah, not that I know of. That was my chance and it didn’t happen.”
     “And why would you want to go to Gaza?”, asked Justin.
     “I feel for ’em.”, said Buck. “They’re trapped. They’re completely dependent on what foreign aid the Israelis let in. For years they only let in enough food to just barely feed the Palestinians and they figured that out with a formula concludin’ that that was 2279 calories a day. Did you know that the Israelis destroyed the Gaza sports stadium in 2006? Why would they do that except to punish an occupied people, to show ‘em who’s boss. Sports bring a people together. Sports bring joy. Sports bring hope. There ain’t no place for any of that in the occupation. In Israel, they have a sayin’, ‘every once in a while, you gotta trim the grass’. By that they mean when a new generation of kids grows up under occupation with rage in their hearts and a will to do somethin’ about it, Israel has to go in and stomp ‘em out. It won’t be long before they go in and do some more trimmin’. Ain’t it funny them bein’ the victims of the worst concentration camps in history runnin’ one of their own?”
     Sally swallowed a mouthful of yogurt. “It’s not the Israelis fault. They must protect themselves from the terrorists. It’s a complicated situation in a troubled part of the world and there are arguments on both sides. There are always clashes. Mm, this food is delicious. You know I feel like a new woman after going through that ordeal yesterday. My goodness, earthquakes, riots, tear gas. We were fabulous, weren’t we? I feel empowered, alive, ready to take on the republicans and get President Obama reelected when I get home. That man got Osama Bin Laden and he stands shoulder to shoulder with the Jewish people as well, you know.”
     “I know.”, said Buck. “And the exiled Cuban community and the NRA and anyone else that’ll get him selected just like that senator said.”
     Sally suddenly grabbed her shoulders as if to ward off a chill. “Oh, God. They were
killed right in front of us and we ran away.”
     “You don’t like President Obama do you?”, Justin asked Buck. “Why?”
    Buck looked into Justin’s eyes and smiled painfully. “Of all the disturbin’ perturbation the Yes We Can Clown has rained down on me, none comes close to his betrayal. I don’t mind bein’ fooled, bein’ taken for a dope, even lied to but betrayal, son, there ain’t nothin’ worse you can do to me. How many times have I heard people say ‘Just wait till he gets reelected. Then you’ll see the real Obama.’? How many times? As many times as I prayed they was right. But then I thinks of what he’s done to Bradley Manning and what he’s tryin’ to do to Julian Assange. And I thinks of Afghanistan and drones and cluster bombs and killin’ American citizens without even so much as a trial in absentia, trottin’ along happily in the footsteps of Dubya believin’ he can throw any American he wants into prison without charges for as long as he wants. Yes, We Can. Yes, We Can, and, well I ain’t got all day, son and you ain’t got all day neither. So I asks myself why? Why is bein’ betrayed by the Audacity of Hope Dope the twist of the knife? The lugi in the face? And I starts thinkin’ about the dupes that depend on any man, that love any man, that sees any man turn away from them, it’s them who are betrayed over and over again like some sorry doll who gets lovin’ promise after lovin’ promise from her cheatin’ husband that he ain’t never gonna cheat no more. And I think them lovin’ promises still sit in my gut like a stinkin’ tumor.”
     A concerned look creased Justin’s face. Dan smiled. Sally rolled her eyes.
                                                                      *
     The rising sun warmed John’s face as he lay in bed. He smiled. He clicked through the events of the previous day before he even opened his eyes. He reached over for his husband, anxious to share his adventure. His smile vanished. The darkness was back. His heart emptied. His stomach hurt. He sat up in bed with a start. “Every God damned morning, Charlie.”, he muttered. He pulled a framed photo from the nightstand and kissed it. “Every God damned morning and I’m fucking sick of it.” He traced his fingers along the face in the photo then ran them through his hair. He threw his legs over the side of the bed. “I have no more tears, my love.”, he sobbed. The faces of the people he had met the day before swirled around in the dim light. He saw Buck. Buck smiled. John rubbed his eyes and put a hand on his forehead. But he’s straight as the day is long, thought John. “Well, who gives a shit?”, he said out loud. “Any port in a storm.” He threw on some clothes, took a deep breath and opened the cabin door. When he got to the deck, he began to walk. How long is this pain going to go on, he asked himself. He looked out at the sea and entertained the thought of jumping overboard. He remembered someone telling him once that drowning is terribly painful. And then there was Charlie. Charlie would definitely not approve. Charlie would want him to bask in the sun on the nude beaches of Mykonos. When he came to the stern, he saw a familiar crowd sitting around a table wrapped in conversation. He saw Buck. He was telling a story. He finished as John walked up unnoticed behind him.
                                                                            *
     Justin’s hand lifted from the table and reached out to Buck. He caught himself and lowered it. “You are so different than anyone I’ve ever met.” 
     “You took the words right out of my mouth, Justin.” John pulled up a chair on the other side of Buck and sat down. He flashed a brilliant smile at Buck. “You don’t happen to be from East Texas, do you?”
     The ends of Justin’s mouth turned down. “That’s not even a Texas accent.”
     “Good morning, John.”, Dan smiled. “You don’t look like you’re suffering at all from last night.”
     John picked up a strawberry and popped it in his mouth. “Not in the least. I feel great. Good morning, everyone! Good morning, Dan. Where is that beautiful girlfriend of yours?”
     “Gone trollin’ for catfish.”, chuckled Buck. 
     “That’s not a very nice thing to say about Gladys and Nadine.”, laughed Dan.
     John reached for a pancake. “Trollin’ for catfish! I love it! We missed you last night, Buck. Did you spend the evening with Bach?”
     “That’s the second time I been asked that.”, said Buck.
      Justin’s eyes narrowed. “Goldberg Variations. Buck likes the Goldberg Variations.”
     John rolled his eyes. “I know, I know. I was there last night too. Don’t you remember?”
     Cesaria reached out and patted Justin on the shoulder then looked at John. “We were all talking about how so many of us have lost hope in our political system.”
     “Not all of us.”, said Sally as she examined a strawberry. “Some of us feel we finally have the right man at the helm.”
     “It’s very worrisome.”, sighed Cesaria. “But we are still one people, and we will rise up and overcome what has happened to us.”
     Buck wagged a finger.  “I was thinkin’ the other day about all them powerful parasites that run our country and I starts thinkin’ about vampires. Me personally, I think vampires and parasites, the human variety of parasites that is, are the same kinda freaks except when a vampire sucks your blood, you become a vampire pronto. Then I starts thinkin’ about how just about every schmoe in the country is becoming a vampire suckin’ the money and the property and the rights outa everybody else and how, just like vampires, when you get your life sucked outa you, you think, well, shit maybe I oughta start doin’ some suckin’ of my own. Next, I starts thinkin’ about all them movies and TV shows showin’ all them teenage vampires suckin’ the life outa all them teenage girls. What the hell is that all about? Why are America’s teenage girls getting turned on by some teenage hunk that’s gonna turn ‘em into a monster? Hell’s bells? How did we get to such a place? What a way to sell zit cream and panty hose. And what about all them damn zombies. Everywhere you look, if you don’t run into a vampire after your blood, you get run over by some dumb ass corps after your brains. And just like a vampire, if some zombie dip shit gets a hold of you, presto change-o, you’re a zombie too. I guess it’s mornin’ in America all over again what with your teenage daughter dreamin’ about gettin’ porked by some blood suckin’ vampire at least once before her brains get sucked out by some brain suckin’ zombie.”
     “My God, you’re too much!”, laughed John. “War protester, Greek speaker, life saver, classical music expert and now a twenty first century Will Rogers. ‘A fool and his money are soon elected’.”
     Buck smiled. “‘If you ever injected truth into politics, you’d have no politics'.” 
     Justin looked at John. “‘You have to go out on a limb sometimes because that’s where the fruit is’.”
     John smiled through his teeth. “That’s very clever. How in the world did someone your age come up with a Will Rogers quote?”
     “Twentieth Century American Culture 101B.”, smiled Justin. “How did someone your age come up with a Will Rogers quote?”
     “I was always fascinated with him. I read his biography. I - “ The irritated look on John’s face disappeared as something suddenly dawned on him. He looked at Justin. He looked at Buck. He looked back at Justin.  He smiled condescendingly. “Of course, of course, Twentieth Century American Culture 101B. This cruise is getting more interesting by the minute.”
     “Your take on the manifestation of the Zeitgeist in the, pardon the pun, bloodless, brainless blather of the media does have a kind of twenty first century Will Rogers ring to it, Buck.”, said Dan. “Americans have had everything stolen from them, their homes, their savings, their health, their education, their jobs, and they’re main lined a lifeless pop culture of Hollywood pap and tabloid sensationalism, metaphorically their blood drained and their brains eaten but instead of turning away in horror and fighting back to stop it, society exalts in it, revels in it. I heard someone say recently that we Americans have feasted upon the world and it tasted so good we have begun to feast upon ourselves.”
     “That tour guide called us cannibals.”, said Justin.
     “That tour guide was a twit!”, snapped Sally.
     John smiled. “He also called us garbage.”
     Sally popped a strawberry in her mouth. “A twit!”
     “Do all of us really revel in it?”, asked Courtney. “Or do those who are doing the stealing revel in it?”
     “Oh come on.”, said John. “Teenagers relate to vampires because vampires are ‘the other’. Vampires are outcasts, you know, like teenagers.”
     Sally rolled her eyes. “What about zombies?”
     “Brainless liberal killers, parasitic welfare queens. ”, laughed Dan.
     “All zombies do in the movies and the TV programs is stumble around moaning and trying to eat you.”, said Justin. “And all everyone does is blow their heads off.”
     “That’s so gross!”, frowned Courtney. “Zombies are people too.”
     Sally’s eyes flashed. “They most certainly are not people!”
     John suddenly sat up in his chair. “Hey, wait a minute! Zombies are trying to eat us. Zombies are everywhere in the media. Maybe American society is expressing itself rather clearly. We’re cannibalizing ourselves!”
     “I don’t know.”, scoffed Bob. “Zombies are dead.”
     “Wow.”, marveled Justin. “Dead cannibals. That would be an awesome name for a band.” 
     “It’s the other.”, said Cesaria. “Zombies are the other that’s after you and your money and your children.”
     “Armies of brainless monsters goose steppin’ over the world.”, smiled Buck.
     Dan stretched out his arms at Courtney and mugged a zombie face. “Baby Boomers!” She giggled, threw her hands on her cheeks and looked horrified.
     John laughed and stretched his arms out at Justin. “Homosexuals!”
     Justin laughed and followed suit. “Jesus freaks, dude!”
     Cesaria shook her head. “And you blow their brains out.”
     Dan looked into Courtney’s eyes. “The perfect terror. The perfect terrorist, Muslim, atheist, homosexual, socialist, fascist, choose your flavor. One bite, one scratch and suddenly you or the one next to you is a terrorist after your flesh, your warm flesh and the warm flesh of your wife, your husband, your daughter, your brother, your mother and there are so many of them. That’s how it is now. That’s how it will be. The world is falling apart. Trust no one. Everyone is your enemy, if not now, any second from now. Fear rules the land. There is little hope and what there is left resides behind the barrel of a gun.”
     Bob was smiling at Courtney. He turned to Buck. “Well, for whatever it’s worth, Buck, I don’t think your twisted prediction of movies or TV shows about vampires and zombies having sex with teenage girls is ever going to happen and thank God for that.”
     “Why not?”, asked Buck. “They got vampire teenage girl sex. Zombie teenage girl sex is just another step down the road.”  
     Bob was adamant. “Buck, zombie teenage girl sex is necrophilia! There’s no way Hollywood would sink that low.”
     Dan shook his head. “Never underestimate the depths Hollywood will sink to in order to make a buck.”.
     “But there would be moral outrage!”, Bob insisted. “Theaters would be picketed. Reviewers would scream bloody murder.”
     “They’ll make the movie and there will be no picket lines.”, Dan predicted. “Reviewers will chuckle and the movie will make tens of millions the first weekend.”
     “Oh for goodness sake!”, blurted Sally. “Can’t everyone stop yammering about politics for just one minute? We’re on a cruise in the Greek Isles. Let’s talk about Greece. Tell us about your family on Rhodes, Cesaria.”
     Cesaria smiled and shook her head. She settled back into her seat. “Thank you, Sally. There are my cousins Georgious and Kalliope and Amaltheia. Georgious is married to Alkestis. They have two children, Nikolaos and Pyrrhos. Nikolas is married to Vasiliki. They are blessed with Orestes and Polydoros. Pyrrhos is with Agapios. Kalliope is married to Minos. They have a child named Dimitris. Dimitris is married to Kassiopeia. They are blessed with Eumelia and Kallistos. Amalthia has three children by Leandros: Heliodoros, Leda and Penelopeia. Penelopeia is married to Khristos. They are blessed with Basileus, Aktaion and Sofia. Leda is with Dorothea. Heliodoros is married to Phylomela. They are blessed with Alexandreus and Bartholomaios. Bartholomaios is with Daphne. Alexandreus is married to Adrasteia. They are blessed with Persefone.”
     Dan finished his coffee and waived to the waiter for more. “You mentioned they live on a farm.”
     “Not a farm.”, said Cesaria. “They have orchards, olives and fruit, pastureland and
animals. The land borders the sea. There is the sea.”
     “That sounds awesome.”, marveled Courtney. “How I would love to bring up a family on the land. A college friend of mine had family that raised goats and made cheese.” She turned to her husband. “Justin, when we get out of this mess, wouldn’t it be awesome if we somehow bought some land?”
     “Just don’t start a commune.”, snickered Bob. “We don’t want to go back to the sixties with dope and hippies and free love. Well, maybe the free love.” He flashed his eyes at Courtney.
     Sally smacked his arm. “Bob, you devil you! Isn’t a little early in the day for that?” She smiled shyly and snickered. “At least that’s what you said earlier.” She batted her eyes seductively. “Is the sun warming you up?”
                                                                         *
     Nadine woke with a smile on her face. She looked around the suite and thought of breakfast. Suddenly tear gas and the memories of the day before raced out from under the bed and surrounded her. “Gladys!”, she gasped. “Gladys, where are you?”
     Gladys was constructing her face in the bathroom. She leaned out the door. “Christ on a crutch, Nadine. What is it?”
     “I don’t know! I don’t know! A dream maybe? Are we alright? Did we get away?”
     “Did we get away?”, asked Gladys as she returned to the mirror. “What in heaven’s name are you talking about? We’re at sea, if that’s what you mean.”
     “Oh thank heavens!”, Nadine sighed. “I was resting so peacefully and all of a sudden I remembered everything. Will you be long? I have to go.”
     Gladys picked up her make up and walked to a vanity next to her bed. “Well go on then. And get dressed. I’m starving to death and I’d kill for a bloody mary.”
     Nadine hurried into the bathroom. “Do you think Lucia is alright?”, she asked from behind the door. “And that young man of hers? Did everyone make it back alright? I can hardly remember.”
     “I’m sure Lucia is fine and as for that man of hers, I could care less. He lied to me. He manhandled me. He dragged me onto the ship.”
     “Now I remember!”, squealed Nadine. “It was for your own good! You were marching up and down the dock ranting and raving like a lunatic! What about the big man? Is he safe?”
     “What the hell is it with you and that God damned fat terrorist?”, Gladys huffed.
     The toilet flushed and the bathroom door flew open. “That man went back into a bus filled with tear gas and saved your life, you old fool!”
     “Poppycock! I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself and don’t you dare talk to me like that, you hysterical harlot.”, snapped Gladys as she carefully applied her eyeliner. “I could very easily have you removed from the Bridge Club.”
     “You wouldn’t dare!”, gasped Nadine.
     Gladys meticulously swept eyes shadow over her eyelids with her ring fingers. “And the Docents Committee. And the Historical Society. And the Ladies Opera League. And the - ”
     The wrinkles on Nadine’s face boiled. “You’re awfully impressed with yourself! You told me on that bus that you dreamed of assaulting me and now you threaten me! You moaned that you got food poisoning! You told everyone that Dan had threatened to slit your throat! I wouldn’t banter about your little fantasies so lightly if I were you, Gladys! They just might someday come -”
     There was an anxious rap at the door. “Wake up, ladies! It’s Lucia! It’s a gorgeous day out here!” 
     Nadine stomped to the door and cracked it open. Her anger melted and she offered an all suffering smile. “Lucia, my dear. How nice to see you. What brings you to our door?”  
     “What’s all that God damn banging?”, barked Gladys.
     “It’s Lucia, Gladys.”, sighed Nadine. “Come to the aid of two weary old war horses.”
     Gladys marched to the door with a blustery scowl on her face. “Speak for yourself, Nadine!” She grabbed Lucia by the wrist and yanked her into the suite. “Come on, Lucia and help us finish getting dressed! I’m ready for the day. I’m ready for breakfast and most of all, I’m ready for a Bloody Mary!”
                                                               *
     “Is it too early for Bloody Marys?” Lucia called from across the deck. She led Gladys by one arm and Nadine by the other. The two duchesses looked particularly saurian that morning. Their legs shuffled slowly back and forth. Their eyes darted from side to side. Their pearls hung around their necks like dewlaps. Colorful sun hats crowned their heads like spiked crests. Their mouths hung open in concentration. Their tongues twitched back and forth. Dan was in awe.
     “Bloody Mary.”, hissed Gladys as she lowered herself into a chair Lucia offered her. “That’s what I want. And look at breakfast. The world is new again.”
     “Waiter!”, Nadine wailed. “Waiter! Waiter! Can we get some cocktails over here?” She maneuvered herself between Justin and Buck. Justin politely slid his chair away as Lucia pushed an empty one to the table. Nadine lowered her grand ass into the chair and surveyed the table. “I see everyone is here. Eleven valiant veterans of the Greek revolution. Daniel, darling, how good to see you again. I trust you had a restful night. And what did the big man do last night, sail off to the Holy Land in search of some poor Arabs to save?”
     A familiar, sinewy figure appeared with a tray. Snezhana gave Buck a steamy look.   “You want drinks?”
     “Ladies and gentlemen.”, Dan announced. “May I present Johann Sebastian Bach.”
    “Well, if it isn’t Snow Woman.”, snarled Gladys.
     “Bloody Marys all around!”, snapped Nadine.
     “Make mine with gin, please.”, said Lucia.
     “Mine too.”, said John.
     “My wife and I are not drinking.”, frowned Justin.
     “I’ll have a champagne and orange juice, please in honor of the dolphins.”, said Courtney.
     “Ooh, Champaign and orange juice!”, squealed Sally. “That won’t hurt us, will it honey?”
     “Bloody Mary and a Mimosa.”, said Bob.
     “Mythos for me.”, grunted Buck as his eyes scoured Snezhana."
     “What’s that?”, asked Justin.
     “Greek beer.”, said Buck.
     "Beer sound cool. I’m in."
     “Hair of the dog that bit you, son.”
     “On second thought, change my Gin Mary to a beer.”, grinned John.
     A smug look suddenly spread across Nadine’s face. She picked up a strawberry and waved it at Snezhana. “And change my Bloody Mary to a strawberry daiquiri.”  
     Snezhana ignored her and looked to Cesaria. “Bloody Mary for lady?”
     “This is a very special day for me. I am to be with relatives after a long time.”, smiled Cesaria. “I will have a glass of champagne.”
     “Three vodka bloody Marys, one gin, two mimosa, three Mythos, one strawberry daiquiri, one glass champagne.” Snezhana spun on her heels and walked away.
     John gave Dan a curious look. “Why did you introduce the waitress as Johann Sebastian Bach?”
     Dan smiled, lifted his eyebrows and nodded his head at Buck.
     “Oh.”, said John. “Really?”
     Gladys was piling food on a plate. She glanced up and saw Dan looking at her. “We had nothing to eat last night.”
     "Nothing to eat?", gasped Lucia. "Why not, for heaven's sake?"
     Nadine was shoveling pancakes into her mouth. "By the time we got out of the salon, we were lucky to have the energy to make it back to the room and collapse."
     "The salon?", Dan asked. "The ship's beauty salon?"
     Gladys frowned and shook her head. "Priorities, young man. A lady always finds time for her hair."
     John leaned close to Dan. “What’s with the Buck and Bach routine?”, he whispered. “Is that some sort of code? Is he a classical music fan or not?”
     “He loves all kinds of music.”, Dan said quietly. “He has a thing about music and fucking.”
     “Music and what?

      “All kinda music for all kinda fuckin’.”, said Dan under his breath.
     John leaned back in his chair. “Jesus Christ. I think I’m in love.”
     Gladys hammered her coffee mug on the table. “What are you two whispering about?”
     “We were talking about Cesaria’s family on Rhodes.”, Dan lied. “She was telling us all about it. You missed it. She wants us all to meet them.”
     “No wonder you speak Greek!”, said Nadine as she eyed Cesaria suspiciously. “And no wonder you are so excitable. If I were you, I’d give me a wide berth for the rest of the cruise. I’ll be consulting my lawyer about your assault as well.”
     “Oh for heaven’s sake!”, Lucia exclaimed. “She brought you to your senses. We wouldn’t have made the ship if it were not for Cesaria and now she will be with her family.”
    “That’s a good place for you.”, snipped Gladys. “I will be delighted to leave you Greeks to your rioting.”
     “You will be facing riots at home sooner than you think.”, smiled Cesaria.
     “Whatever do you mean by that?”, gasped Nadine.
     “Drinks!”, Snezhana placed drinks on the table accordingly and saved the glass of champagne for last. She handed it to Cesaria with a curt bow. “I hope your family will be happy, lady.”
     Gladys swallowed a mouthful of pancakes and waived her hand in the air dismissively as Snezhana walked away. “Why do these people have to make a point of trying to be part of the lives of the people they are paid to wait on? This is not some corner pub or church bingo parlor. This is a cruise ship, albeit a Greek cruise ship but none the less, there used to be such a thing as protocol.”
     “Honestly, Gladys!”, said Lucia. “Is that all you can say on the dawn of a beautiful day in Greece?”
     “Honestly, Lucia.”, Nadine snipped. “You are beginning to sound like some kind of
hippie.”
     “Ain’t it a beautiful day and ain’t we all lucky to be alive?”, countered Buck. “You all got an invitation to meet a buncha locals on Rhodes so you can skip the tours and the shoppin’ and get an idea what the real island is all about.”
     “I can arrange for a couple of cars or maybe we could just hire a couple of taxis.”, said Cesaria. “We will do some shopping alright but for food and we will have wine and flowers. We will spread a great table in the orchard and look at the sea. The children will play at our feet. I will hire a couple of Bouzouki players and we will dance.”
     “Will we all line up and dance those wonderful Greek dances?”, asked Lucia breathlessly. She took Dan’s arm and looked lovingly into his eyes. “I knew there was a reason to come to Greece! This will be wonderful!”
     “We’ll have an awesome time!”, exclaimed Courtney. “Don’t you think, everyone?”
     Dan raised his glass. “Cheers everyone! We should be coming in sight of the island soon. Here’s to a great day!”
     “This is awesome beer.”, said Justin. “I used to drink beer before I quit. Thanks for recommending it.”
     “My pleasure, son.”, said Buck. “What did you quit for in the first place?”
     Justin frowned. “Things have just been so bad, and drinking was making them worse. The hateful phone calls from the creditors, having to live with our parents. It was all so hard on me and my wife.”
     “What about the restaurant business?”, asked Dan. “That’s where I ended up. It’s a start at least. You might even end up owning your own place.”
     “Do you own your own place?”, asked Justin.
     “I used to.”
     Gladys pulled on Nadine’s sleeve. “I told you he didn’t work for a hedge fund.”
     “Oh, he was just having a little fun with you.”, said Lucia. “We were all drinking.”
     “We’re drinking now.” muttered Gladys.
     “Ah, relax, your highness.”, laughed Buck. “You’re on vacation. Have a little fun yourself.”
     “What kind of work are you in?”, Justin asked Buck.
     “I’m retired.”, said Buck.
     “From the stage?,” asked John.
     Sally swallowed too much of her mimosa and coughed. “Well, I don’t care who works for a hedge fund or a restaurant or who is retired from what and I don’t think anyone else should give a darn. When you’re on vacation, you meet new people and go to new places and, as far as I’m concerned, you can be whoever you want to be. Maybe Bob and I don’t own three homes. Maybe we’re not retired. Maybe Buck is an international terrorist. Maybe John is straight. Maybe Courtney and Justin are a couple of bankers. Maybe Cesaria works for the CIA. Who cares? As far as I’m concerned, I -”
     “What’s that horrible smell?”, screeched Nadine.
     “Judas priest! What the hell is the matter with you, woman?”, snapped Gladys. “Can’t I even have a Bloody Mary in peace without you screaming your head off?”
      “It smells like something’s burning.”, said Dan.  
     “Oh my God!”, gasped Nadine. “The ship is on fire!”
     Everyone stood up and looked around. “There’s an island!”, gasped Courtney. “Is that Rhodes?”
     “That’s Rhodes, alright.”, said Buck.
     They had been so caught up in themselves, they hadn’t even noticed that they had come upon the Island of Rhodes. All of them watched in stunned silence as a large column of smoke rose from the port and the city behind it. The buzz of a microphone crackled above them. “Ladies and Gentlemen.”, sputtered a voice heavy with a Greek accent. “We are now informed that the Port of Rhodes is closed by general strike. I regret to inform you that our arrival has been postponed indefinitely. We will proceed to our next destination, the beautiful island of Santorini. We are scheduled to arrive tomorrow morning. Please excuse for the inconvenience.”
     “What is it with these Greeks?”, squawked Nadine. “Are we just going to circle around the Mediterranean like The Voyage of the Damned? My God, we’ll never get home!”
     “Well isn’t that just peachy!”, sneered Gladys. “I don’t think I’ll ever get a chance to shop for gold on this trip.”
     Buck swung around. “Cesaria.”
     Cesaria was sitting in a chair. She was white as a sheet. Her hands gripped her cane. 
     Justin put a fist in his mouth. Courtney raced to her side and knelt before her. “I am so sorry. I am so sorry.”
      John’s shoulders sagged. “Oh shit, babe. I’m right there with you.”
     Lucia grabbed Dan’s hand. “You’ll get there, Cesaria. You can fly from the next island. I can help you.”
     Cesaria looked up. A sigh racked her body. All the life in the tiny woman seemed to drain out of her. She stared silently at the horizon. Then her eyes left the smoking city and swept over the Aegean. She inhaled an endless breath, lifted herself from her chair and turned.
     Dan stepped toward her. “Cesaria.”
     Buck took his arm and stopped him.
     Cesaria held a hand up as she slowly walked away.