Scenic Route To Paradise: Desperado Dale Part 8

It can be said that Kerkyra is more ethnically diverse than mainland Greece. Avliotes is typical of that diversity. Invaders, conquerors and foreign cultures had overtaken the city many times. Because of their history, the citizens had evolved into a st.u.r.dy group. They would not be easily defeated militarily again. On that note, it could be said that the town's people understood the mounting threat of the battle within personified by the New Dawn agents. Most of the people resisted their flatteries and veiled threats but as always, there were an influential few who either from fear or desire for personal gain joined with evil, like human cells siding with an encroaching cancer.

Leaving Dale and the little girls at Sam's business connection's warehouse, Bethania and Sam went to the bar behind Georgios. Together they went in. The tavern was the typical island style of white plastered walls and low ceiling with dark wooden beams running the length of the big room. Even in better times, this establishment had never been a tourist attraction. Avliotes was inland and the tourist spots were not the same as the locals' hangouts. There were a dozen or more men drinking and gambling. In difficult economic times, men drank and gambled still.

A quick study of the room showed there were no agents dressed in ominous black as the riders of the cafe racers had been. Sam went to the bar and asked about the men.

You mean Karlos? No, he isn't here.

Seemingly, nothing came of their trembling appearance at the seedy saloon behind Georgios.

Debating with some heat from both Bethania and Sam, they returned to the warehouse. Their discussion covered the topic of the Jewish Messiah. Sam had never a.s.sociated with orthodox Jews. His family was the moderate sort who stood proudly Jewish with other westernized, politically liberal Jews. These were relative moralist similar to other group-types like American motorcycle gangs who when separated from their bros' wouldn't stand for anything except to facilitate a run for cover. Since Biblical times, every generation of Jew eventually came to the crossroad of truth. The decision to stand and take their medicine as the whipping boy of humanity or slink away into hopeful obscurity was the epiphany point. For a Jew to choose Jesus as Messiah in Sam's mind was like being bludgeoned to death only to be resurrected to be beaten again... Neither Christians nor Jews were very popular at the moment. Sam saw no benefit in identifying with Christians as a group or especially with their celebrated leader Jesus the Jew!

Its not that Sam didn't believe in a sovereign G.o.d, he did. The problem with Sam and many other young Jews was his inability to reconcile a loving and so-called merciful G.o.d with what he processed as reality.

If our G.o.d is real, the one true G.o.d then why has He scattered us throughout the globe? Why are we persecuted? It's obvious that Jews have the corner on both wealth and genius; even our dissenters acknowledge the facts! And yet, our weaknesses - our underbelly is always revealed and while our leaders plan for peace, our G.o.d allows war. Everyone loses but the Jews lose most!

Sam had explained his conclusions to Bethania and she laughed softly. "You sound like our prophet Ezekiel from the scriptures," she said. "Our G.o.d tells the prophet that Israel will be scattered into the nations but He G.o.d will be a holy place for them. G.o.d is the Jews' refuge! He will use them to establish His own purposes and He will show the weakness of our ethnic pride..."

"Enough! Bethania your scriptural knowledge is beyond me. I really don't remember reading these ideas," said Sam but he wondered how his thoughts could be found pre-recorded in ancient texts that he had never read. Instead of allowing for a sovereign G.o.d... the G.o.d of the Jews, Sam groped about for another explanation- Was there a universal amoeba mind allowing osmosis thought to meld the mental processes of humanity?

Ridiculous!

Chapter 25 A Short Time Ago.

"You know, Anna," began Jellybean in her scratchy voice. "Your beautiful island and your interesting ancient history have made such an impression on me. I think I should put more than a token smattering of Greek recipes in my heirloom cookbook."

The women were driving through Avliotes after dropping Guppo at his family home on the western extremity of town. His mother was excited about seeing her son but not as happy as he was to see her. Also, she had no notion he had gone missing from her eldest daughter's house two days previous and so had not been anxious for the boy. Guppo for his part had left word with the other geese herder, that he was catching a ride home with the Americans.

Three days before when Anna drove into Evangelos, Tina not surprised but overjoyed nonetheless to see her cousin, had a house full of children. With the addition of the Klein children, Liraz and Adi, Tina had 20 orphans. All the children were either homeless or without immediate family on Kerkyra.

After greeting and eating some lunch, Tina had explained, "It has become a real operation as you might imagine!" She laughed nervously, "I never planned this but it reminds me of what happened to you and Dale in Philly when neighbors found out you took in stray Pits," she said to Anna. Dale and Anna had taken in a Pitbull puppy left abandoned on the sidewalk and then they took in another that had been left tied to a streetlight, finding suitable homes for both. Meanwhile word got out that Dale was rescuing Pitbulls... There was a time when they had 17 dogs about their property. Only after they moved across town when Gwyneth was born did people stop dropping unwanted Pitbulls into their yard in the middle of the night.

"Funny about that boy, Dale," commented Mr Adams. "He never saw a dog he didn't like." It was a genuine observance. Anna agreed with a nod but she thought about the times when dogs had to be euthanized because they had been abused beyond recovery or the dog had been wrongfully but irrevocably trained. Happily, most of the dogs were paired with caring owners within a few months of being abandoned on their doorstep.

Missing Dale, Anna had sighed but since then, she had kept busy "helping" with the orphans. At the time she said to Tina, "And so, you have never met a child you didn't like? I think I understand."

In response, Tina laughed her nervous laugh, flashing white straight teeth. She was a trim gal with alabaster skin framed by wavy, almost black hair and dark eyes. Compared to Anna, whose light brown locks and blue eyes gave her a "northern" appearance, Tina had the true Mediterranean look. At almost twenty-four years of age, Tina had been raised in both Greece and America. Loving the comforts of the good 'ol USA, she loved Greece as well. The conveniences, the consistency and the easy money to be made and spent in America had their place but as a down-to-the-bone Greek, Tina called Kerkyra home. Her previous visits as a child and teenager prepared her. She adjusted readily into village life although never intending to make her visits permanent. Then the twins came along; lovable, gentle babies left at her doorstep with a simple note attached to the wicker basket. Click and Clack she called them because their baptismal names were wieldy and c.u.mbersome even for her knowledgeable tongue.

Like so many Greeks, Tina was a practical person. Her love for the boys and later for all the children she became responsible for was not so emotional as it was conscionable. Her love was based on commitment rather than affection. When she stepped into the shoes of accountability accountable to her own conscience, Tina realized that she had found her niche. The old proverb that it is better to give than to receive became reality for her. She found an abiding joy in giving to the children. As the needs of her orphanage grew, Tina endeavored to make others realize that it was better for them to give than to receive as well.

That first day, Tina showed Mr and Mrs Adams and Anna around and introduced the household members the orphans to them. Gwyneth fell in with the flock of children as if she had known them all her four years. That evening before bed, the older children put on a drama for Tina's guests. There were several methods Tina used to persuade outsiders to donate goods, money and talent to her orphanage. Drama and music were useful tools although one eleven year old who learned to play the mandolin before joining Tina's "family" was presently the sole musician.

A short time ago, Tina's operation would have been considered illegal and perhaps it was illegal, even now. No one cared. A short time ago when life was prosperous, donors would have been loading Tina with goods and money to a.s.sist with her efforts but not now. A short time ago, Greece led the dirge into a global economic depression. Austerity measures would not correct the declination. Instead, austerity was the new reality for all but the very few elite. Since the Greek Civil war there had not been such a need for Tina types and the relief their efforts could bring.

Because donations were meager and the drama was fun and the mandolin was novel, Tina won over the Adams' and Anna.

Tina had a van. She traded her small, gas efficient j.a.panese car straight across for the larger gas guzzler because she needed it.

Now, Anna was driving the van and discussing Greek food with Bean. Before finding Guppo's home, they had dropped Tina and Bernie off in the market area. When Anna returned to the designated paved lot, Bernie hurpled forward carrying two canvas bags. Tina and two teenage men followed behind, also lugging sacks of groceries. After twenty minutes to load and to finish closing the deal, Tina pulled away with a van half full of pantry goods. The next stop was the equivalent of a p.a.w.n shop.

It was evening before the loaded van returned to Evangelos. Two sets of bunk beds were strapped to the roof of the van. They would need to be rea.s.sembled but Tina rea.s.sured Bernie that she knew just the person to perform the task.

Jellybean and Bernie had always been a very generous couple. People, who knew them well, usually said so. Friends also noted that while being extremely generous with others they were often n.i.g.g.ardly toward each other. No one ever pointed this out to the estranged husband and wife; after all they were divorced and perhaps the emotionally stingy att.i.tude toward one another had been the cause. The elderly Adams' would have denied the allegation as both were painstakingly civil to the other most of the time. Civility was the very trait that highlighted their lack of liberality toward the other but they didn't know it.

In Tina's case, Bernie and Bean had had another late night tte--tte concerning the cache that had mistakenly landed in their midst.

Why not use some of the wealth to help the orphans? Bernie had suggested.

I thought the same when that little boy finished his piece on the mandolin! Bean told him.

And so they did.

Two topics continually circulated from Tina's lips that made Anna attentive each go-round. First was Tina's worry over the children's future and the second was a young man by the name of Zeff who had written her from the Serendipity.

"Somehow we need to move the children into environments conducive to well rounded growth. I don't see how they will get that here in the village. Our island is isolated but Greeks on the other hand are without parameters," Tina would say using various wording but conclude the same. Anna would listen and try to find suitable solutions but Tina wouldn't be mollified.

"...so, your sister-in-law, Merry is on the same boat. Zeff says they are coming here to pick you and your family up. It shouldn't be long now.

Zeff sounds like such a great guy! I haven't heard from him in days but I hope he and Merry stay a few days," expounded Tina warming to her second favorite topic. "I wish I could have asked him more questions... Do you know Merry told him that I am a fat lady in an athletic body? What is that suppose to mean?" Tina asked as she spread a thick layer of goat cheese on a hunk of freshly baked bread. It was her third piece Anna observed.

Then she would switch to the orphans again. "I feel it in my gut that children are going to be needing places like my house all over the world. The very young and the old and the weak get thrown under the bus as soon as there is any emergency. I wonder if I cannot get old Gustania to donate her big house in Avliotes. We could fit 50 or 60 children in there easy!"

"Did you know Zeff went to ASU? So did Sal's brother, Frank! I can't wait to meet this guy... Zeff is short for Zeferano..."

Chapter 26 Fireside Baklava.

Dale opened his eyes. The younger Klein child, Adi stood over him. She held a calico kitten less than a foot from Dale's face. His eyes and mouth were swollen. His upper lip cracked and his expression made her giggle. She ran off to get her older sister.

The little girls reminded Dale of his daughter. He missed Gwyneth. He pulled back the cotton blanket but when he swung his legs around to stand up from the couch where he spent the night, the dried blood from his encounter with Karlo stuck to the sheet under him. As the scabs pulled free, he let out an involuntary squeal. Sam ceased snoring on the other sofa and sat up.

"Dang it... That hurts!" Dale said through clenched teeth. His jaw ached and his ribs hurt where Karlo and company had kicked him but the throb and burning coming from the back of his legs overrode the other pain including the stiff neck he had from sleeping so sound in the same spot for six hours.

It had been late when they arrived in Avliotes the night before. The original sanitizing and tending to the wounds by Bethania had been hours earlier on the side of the road after the New Dawn agents departed. She had planned to apply some salve and wrap his legs and forearms after returning from the tavern but Dale was comfortably sleeping. Deciding he needed the rest, she let him be.

Bethania showed up with water, coffee and a medical kit taken from the warehouse office. Sam left to get some real food for breakfast and leaving the calico behind, Liraz and Adi went with him.

The old Jewess explained to Dale that the barkeep said Karlo and the others left in a hurry just after their meal.

"I suppose they decided you were not the one they were looking for after all. It's a curious situation and dangerous too," she commented.

As Bethania began ministering to his abrasions, Dale concentrated on what the New Dawn people were looking for and how it might affect him in the future.

Sam returned as Bethania finished wrapping Dale's elbow. "Sam, we got get to my wife's village. I really think they might be in trouble," Dale said as way of greeting.

Sam put a loaf of brown bread on the desk. Coming behind him, the little girls carried a bag apiece. Getting up, Dale smiled and nodded to Bethania in thanks for her doctoring.

Sam said, "Okay. Yes, I thought of that too."

The men made a plan and they soon had all the truck goods unloaded. The warehouse was officially closed for the day but Sam knew that the proprietor, his friend Erik would be in after lunch sometime.

Bethania and the girls had been absent for more than an hour when Dale noticed that they had returned and were sitting quietly on a bench in the shade near the truck. Adi held the kitten on her lap. There was the sound of far away strumming from a guitar.

Dale walked over to the bench after Bethania motioned to him. She sent the children inside on an errand and then said, "Your wife... You mentioned that she was from Evangelos." Dale nodded as he swallowed a gulp of water from the jug he carried. "The orphanage I spoke to you about... I had heard it was near Avliotes and I have discovered that it is actually in that village. Do you know Tina Evangelos?" she asked.

Dale was in mid swig. His eyebrows shot up. He coughed. "I know her very well! She is my wife's first cousin! She used to live in the states. That is where we were headed when we landed here last week!"

"Well, Tina Evangelos runs the orphanage," Bethania said.

Dale wondered if it could be the same Tina. Greeks were famous for using variations of the name of Christ in naming their children. "I was hoping to leave the children here and out of harms way but coincidentally... I suppose, we are headed for the same village and the same house!" Bethania said with an amused look playing about her wrinkled lips.

Arriving, just before supper, Dale hugged Anna not wanting to let her go. He did let go with a yelp when Gwyneth coming from behind began hugging his injured legs, although the bandages were hidden under his jeans. Anna was horrified at his blackened eyes and bruised mouth but she put on a brave face for Dale and the others.

"Here he is and just in time for dinner!" said Bernie ignoring the obvious on Dale's marred face. The old man had been thinking hopefully of dinner since right after lunch. He found that food was always a good diversion.

There was a long wooden table with a dozen plastic chairs on the right side of the front room of the house. To Dale it appeared to be the house of Snow White and her dwarves as the table and chairs were clearly sized for children. Boys and girls were arranged around the table; the oldest being about 10 years old and he sat at the head. Plastic bowls and cups all empty still, were in front of each child.

Jellybean sat at one end of the adult table which was arranged on the left side of the large square room. On either side of her, was a baby strapped into a highchair. In each of Bean's hands she had a wooden spoon taken from the table center. Drumming on the highchair trays, she attempted to keep the babies preoccupied. Everyone else from that table had got up to receive Dale and his friends at the front door. Waving a wooden spoon, Bean greeted Dale as he hugged Tina. Dale grinned over Tina's shoulder and saluted his grandmother.

Tina and Gwyneth began to chatter excitedly as Dale introduced Sam, Bethania and her charges, Liraz and Adi to the others. A shrill whistle sounded and the mesh of voices stopped in mid sentence. As one the group, they turned toward the table.

"Thank you," said Jellybean; a serene look on her face. "The food is getting cold and Dale although we are overjoyed to have you join us, you need to go borrow some chairs for our other guests."

Mr and Mrs Adams had been with Tina for most of the week. She had fond memories of their generosity and their oddities too from her teen years when she lived in Philadelphia. After their first day in Evangelos, Tina remembered rather quickly how unconventional they could be. Now, she responded accordingly, "Yes, of course! You must be famished! Anna, please show Bethania and the girls the washroom. And you... Uh, Sam please help Dale get the patio chairs from the back." Tina had Dale go through the front door and around the back, with Sam in tow. She and a very young woman, a teen orphan named Nerah began serving the food from the kitchen.

After some minutes of shuffling chairs and getting the children seated at the other table settled, Tina asked Dale to bless the meal. It was a healthy dinner with potatoes and chicken and kale salad with goats' milk drilla on top. The fare being much better than the house had been serving for many months. Bernie's and Bean's supplies from Avliotes would keep the orphanage supplied for at least a month. Food on the island was extremely expensive. After Greece began its economic tailspin, locals who hadn't had a personal garden for thirty years, planted one. There were groves and vineyards and orchards all over the island but food was money. Bernie and Bean had lots of the new currency thanks to the anonymous smuggler who had exchanged Bean's travel bag with his own and they traded jewelry, too.

Bethania who was seated next to Bean asked, "How old are you?"

Jellybean said, "I'm eighty-eight and you?"

Anna overhearing their conversation smiled to herself realizing that whenever elderly people got around each other, one of the first questions asked and answered concerned age. Then she heard Adi Klein asking the same question of the child just behind her. "I'm seven. How old are you?" This brought a chuckle to Anna's lips. Hearing her, Dale sitting next to his wife, bent towards her giving her cheek a kiss.

It was quite dark and cool. The thick curtains on the front room windows had been drawn. Bernie built a fire in the fireplace. The children had been bathed and put to bed for the night. Bethania stayed with the Klein girls in a back room which housed six other children but the other adults sat around the fire talking. Jellybean with Dale's help brought forth coffee and freshly made baklava. Bean had provided the ingredients from Avliotes and another cousin, Tina's neighbor made up the sweet dessert.

Tina was exhausted. Her days normally busy had become only more hectic when Anna arrived although she was overjoyed to see her cousin and extremely grateful for the Adams' providential gifts.

She repeated to Dale and Sam the information she had gleaned from Zeff who crewed on the Serendipity before the internet went down.

"I got word from a friend of mine from D'Almata that Merry - your sister was on the Serendipity. When I tried to contact her, the first mate, Zeff replied instead..." she told them with a self-conscious laugh. "I never did talk with Merry! Anyway, it's been almost a week. Zeff said the D'Almatan captain was coming to get you... All of you!" Tina poured a coffee for Bethania who came from the darkened hallway. Bethania was a tea drinker but she accepted politely.

"Zeff is a repository of news. Apparently the reliable D'Almatan grapevine has been trading information about the Merriweather children for months. I would guess your mother, Dale, is marrying a very important personage from D'Almata," Tina said with a twinkle in her eye.

Uncertain, Dale shrugged but Toni's parents, Bernie and Bean said "Of course," simultaneously.

Bernie asked Tina about the sloop's coordinates. She didn't know but she told them Zeff had mentioned that Mac was in a hurry. Bernie wondered out loud about communication and how they would connect with the boat. "Its not like we have a ticket and boarding time," he said.

Bethania and Tina laughed, looking at each other, as if a private joke was being shared.

With soft laughter lacing her words, Bethania said, "Kerkyra and D'Almata are like brothers in love with the same damsel. They spy on each other and banter across the Adriatic but often turns a blind eye to the other's exploits. This island has numerous D'Almatan citizens spying, smuggling, bartering, wooing and all of them without genuine doc.u.ments but still moving freely about the isle. Since these Ionian Islands joined Greece, our brothers from D'Almata have become cautious. Their island is fortified but as we know, Kerkyra is porous... an open book to our neighbors from D'Almata."

Tina nodded. She said, "It's true. When the sloop drops anchor, someone will come knocking and off you go."

By ten o'clock, only Bernie, Jellybean and Bethania remained huddled at the dying fire. Tina had taken the others to her neighbor's, the baklava cook since Tina's house was full with 20 children, including the Klein children.

Bethania a.s.sumed Dale's grandparents were genuine Christians, as he was and she spoke freely of her recent conversion. They were silent for the most part as they had resisted Toni Merriweather's radical conversion and her message of salvation for more than 30 years. Their youth, marriage and lifestyle of wealth and culture failed to bring the joy advertised by those who they a.s.sumed should know these things. The couple divorced when Toni and her four sisters were in elementary school a long time ago. Although Bernie and Bean had remained friends at arms length and a team when family difficulties arose, now as they pressed towards their ninth decade of life, both noticed a chasm of deficiency.

Bethania said with a gentle laugh, "I was such an old fool. My way... my pride. And the entire time, G.o.d had his eye on me. He was watching over me, setting me up to know Him... to understand eternal truth. Ne! I was such an old fool." Bethania looked at the other two. "Ne! But not anymore!" she finished with a smile; her gold fillings glittering in the firelight. Then she excused herself to check on Liraz and Adi.

Bernie and Bean sat listening to the periodic popping from the embers. Bernie said, "I think we missed something, way back when."

Blowing her nose, Bean didn't respond.

"It's too late to start over but you know, dear we could start again," he said tentatively. Reaching over, he patted Jellybean's hand.

The fire danced. Sparks shot up as the front door opened and closed. Tina was back. The elderly couple looking tired turned to her. "This is for you, Mrs Adams. My cousin, Christina asked me to give this to you." Tina handed her a folded sheet of lined notebook paper.

In pencil, a recipe for baklava was scrawled.

Christina's Famous Baklava

2 cp sugar 3 cp water lemon (juice squeezed) 2 or 3 pieces orange peel 1 tsp whole cloves 2 small pieces cinnamon sticks 1-2 tsp ground cinnamon cp walnuts 3 Tblsp melted b.u.t.ter filo dough (average package) Pre-heat the oven 375F -Add sugar, water, orange peels, cloves and cinnamon sticks; boil until it thickens like syrup. Add ground cinnamon and walnuts.

-In a gla.s.s pan, grease with b.u.t.ter or spray w/ Pam like product.

-Layers 8 pieces of filo, brush w/ melted b.u.t.ter. Sprinkle with walnut mixture.

-Add two pieces of filo and repeat process.

-Top layer; add 5 pieces of filo brush w/ b.u.t.ter.