A Touch of Spice Page #5

possessions with chalk marks.

They resembled the marks of

every deportee.

As the Turks sent us

away as "Greeks"...

while the Greeks received

us as "Turks".

Good morning!

Hi...

May l?

There you are...

So?...

When we learned he

was ill yesterday...

I remember I had received

an x-ray with a note attached...

Wait... Here it is.

"Dear Thrasyvoule,

I'm sending this x-ray"...

"so that when we meet again

I can have your opinion".

"Don't tell my relatives.

If I do not come...

then give it

to Fanis".

Grandpa...

This time I actually thought

he would come. I was certain.

What can we do?

That's how it is.

But you... have travelled the world

and you never went to see him.

Why my son?

Athens, 1964

Main Course

Who was it that taught you

about King Voulgaroktonos?

All the books write about him

and he ate yellow tail tuna.

- Where did you learn about tuna?

- ln Constantinople we had the best fish!

Sure, whenever the Bosporos overflooded

and the fish came through your windows!

- The fishermen brought us the best fish!

- So where are they now?

I forget, you forget,

he forgets...

We forget, You forget,

they forget...

- Hi, son...

- What's for lunch?

- Beans...

- Again?

Beans are full of vitamins.

Wash up, I have news for you.

- lf you don't wash, I won't tell you.

- My hands are clean.

We got a letter from Constantinople

and there's something in it for you.

In two weeks your

grandpa is coming.

"Dearest Fanis...

I miss you a lot"...

"Your grandpa said I'll go with

him when he goes to Greece".

"You'll cook for me

and I'll dance for you".

"Your friend, Saime."

The nutmeg does wonders for

the lmam, how come you added it?

That's for tomorrow.

Papa is fasting.

Then why did you

prepare it last night?

Holy...!

- Sultana, are you kidding?

- I had the eggplants in a bag!

Didn't you tell me that

Aunt Efterpi is a sleep walker?

Sleepwalking is hereditary.

You wake up and cook.

Good Lord...

But I never put

nutmeg in "lmam".

- It's the best lmam I've ever had.

- But I didn't cook it!!

Fanis, wake up...

- The plane will land any minute now.

- I'm not going.

How come? Don't you want to be

there to welcome your Grandpa?

I'll stay here

and help my aunties.

Tell me son... Where you

in the kitchen last night?

Grandpa will sit there... and his

friends... Better not there...

He will be facing the kitchen, here... no,

it will look like the Last Supper...

No, that is the best spot.

Nice, very nice...

They've arrived!

I can see him!

With our cuisine you always

feel that something is missing...

not from the food but from

those sitting around you.

On that day, both Grandpa

and I were absent from the table.

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