by S. Poulos
of a lawyer and his client. That's all, fellows, we have to go, thank you."
It was late in the afternoon when the ex-chairman reached his house. His wife was already in the kitchen cooking dinner, and he embraced her and with a smile. "How is my sweet wife, my marvelous cook, and my secretary of finance doing today?"
"I want you to tell me first, how did you go?"
"Well, in the beginning it was frightening, but after I made a small deal with this man you sent me to, things are looking good. Watch this..." and he started to dial a number, and then their land line telephone rang.
"That is fantastic."
"I can even send you a text!"
"That is amazing, but this is not the telephone I gave you! That one was the latest; this one is an old model."
"This is the deal I told you about. That one, when I was touching it, it would go all over the place. This one is solid, and I can handle it. I am very pleased."
"How about with the computer?"
"That will take longer. He made an e-mail address for me, which I will go to tomorrow. In fact, I will go there every day until I leave for Holland, but he said I should be able to continue there."
"How about an assistant? Did you find anything about that?"
"That is a hard one. I went to the lawyers' club. They all avoid me, but today a couple of them that approached me saying they are available if I need help for the case. I am sure they don't believe in it; they are doing it for publicity."
"Well darling, the only alternative left is to go to Patmos and try to persuade the young man to follow you."
"I am starting to think the same. How did you go with the sympathizers? Did you meet them?"
"Yes, and I have this for you." And she handled him two sealed envelopes. "This is some money to start with. They totally trust you, honey. They've been following all you have done so far for the Teacher, and leaning all their hopes on you. We also are trying to organize a fund for it; I will have to see them tomorrow again."
"Then we have started the ball rolling. Who would think that even yesterday?"
THE HEARTS DESIRE
The ex-chairman finally accepted he would need to go to Patmos to see Michael, but which would be the best way to go about it? Three days had passed already since he decided to defend the Teacher, and he was still with not even an assistant. The rest was going all right. His wife had organized the fund, and he started to get familiar with the electronic devises, but he had to know soon whether he could rely on Michael or not.
"Dear," he said to his wife, "I shall go and see the young man in Patmos, and take all my papers for the case, and my belongings. If things go well, I will continue from there to Holland, if not, I will come back, grab someone, and then go there."
"When do you intend to do that?"
"Tomorrow I will go to the travel agency, and book the first flight to Athens. In the meantime I have to gather everything I can, and do some more study for the case."
"I have prepared your suitcase with your clothes honey; make sure not to forget anything."
"Thank you my dear."
Within two days, he was on the way to Athens, which was a good time to study the case. It was a bit awkward, as he had chosen to travel economy class, even though the sympathizers told his wife to use business class. He was absorbed so much with the case that he had to hurry up and gather his papers when they landed in the international airport in Athens, but the effort was worthwhile, for he had settled on the strategy he would follow for the defense case.
He caught a flight to Samos. This time he did not open his briefcase. He just closed his eyes and thought about it. The more he thought about it, the more he was convinced that this would be the best chance to win the case, if he had a hope at all.
Finally he got the ferryboat to Patmos.
This part of the journey was different; it was more a nostalgic one, for it reminded him of the day when he and his wife were on the ferryboat going towards Patmos. It was so different now without her he thought, it seemed so bland so uninspiring, regardless if the sea was still so blue, and the sky even more so; regardless, if the breeze was soothing his cheek and his body as it did before, nothing looked or felt the same without his wife next to him. The only compensation was that he was going to see his friend.
The Skala appeared in front, and his heart quivered a bit, bringing back all the beautiful times he spent with his wife.
When he disembarked, he headed for a restaurant, and then changed his mind. Instead, he took a taxi to the monastery. He told the taxi to wait, went into the monastery, as the gate was open, and asked a monk if anyone there spoke English.
"Come," the monk, said, "English." The monk guided him to an old building near a vegetable garden. The ex-chairman smelled bread as they went in and the monk indicated a young man cleaning some baking apparatus, saying, "English."
They both lifted their eyes at the same time. The apparatus the rookie was holding dropped from his hand, and the ex-chairman ran and embraced him. They hugged each other and Michael said, "What a surprise! So good to see you Mr. Clarke Are you here alone, or with your wife?"
"I am here alone; I came specially to see you."
"You came all the way here to see me?"
"Yes."
"It must be a very important reason, which to be honest I cannot understand."
"I will tell you later, but I have a taxi waiting outside. Do you have some free time? Perhaps we can have something to eat, and I will explain to you."
"As matter of fact, I just finished my baking, and you could not possibly pick a better time."
"Okay then."
"Give me five minutes and I will see you outside."
Michael went to see the Geronda, and informed him of this visitor, and that he was going out. The old man gives him the go ahead, and then Michael went to his cell, put some fresh clothes on, and went out. The taxi was there, but the ex-chairman was nowhere to be seen. Finally he appeared, saying what a beautiful place it was.
"I was talking to a young monk who speaks English well. He said the whole monastery loves you, and that you introduced to them lots of new things. He said you even introduced them to scones, and it became a status quo for the monks that after the evening prayer there is always freshly hot steaming scones and tea waiting for them, thanks to you."
On the way to Skala the ex-chairman asked Michael, "How come you chose Patmos from all the Greek islands, or from the whole world for that matter?"
"Because you introduced me to it," smiled Michael.
"I introduced it to you?"
"Yes, remember when we were in that bar, you, the Teacher and myself, and I happened to ask you where are you going for vacation, and you said Patmos?"
"Yes. I remember that."
"Well, since then, this idea stuck in the back of my mind, until it materialized."
"Well, we will have to immaterialize it," said the ex-chairman, smiling.
When they reached Skala, the ex-chairman asked Michael which was his favorite restaurant.
Michael said, "There is a little one further up, right on the water's edge," and when they reached it, the ex-chairman said, "Oh...I remember this. We came here, and my wife liked it too!"
They ordered grilled fish, Greek salad, fava, stuffed tomatoes, and a bottle of retsina.
"And how do you like it here?" asked Adam.
"So far, I love it."
"They are flabbergasted in your old job; they had big plans for you, you know?"
"Yes I know. It was a hard decision to make, but finally I think I made the right one."
"So you preferred to be a monk, rather than be where the action is?"
"I followed my heart, that's all."
"You don't wear a robe? Everybody else does, in the monastery."
"Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I will become a novice monk. I am excited about it."
The ex-chairman felt nauseous. He dropped the fork and the knife, pushed the plates aside and said, "Look, the reason I am he
re is about the Teacher."
"What is wrong with the Teacher?"
"He was being arrested by Interpol, and is held in Holland in jail."
Michael this time also dropped his cutlery, and pushed aside the plates.
"So that's it! They have done it after all."
"Not yet; the war is not over yet, and I need you to help me in this."
"And how can I help you? Don't forget I am not a lawyer yet."
"I need someone I can trust, and more important, someone who believes in the innocence of the Teacher."
"I cannot believe it is happening to me again. Three months ago, I had to make my biggest decision in my life, and now I am in the same predicament again," said Michael after a long pause.
"I don't want to rush you, but if it is going to make it easier for you, I know you have found your port here, that you are content with what are you doing, and the peace of mind you have. I also know the people love you here, and I don't have the right to appear suddenly and rip you off from them in such abrupt manner. Still, these people more or less have found their way, and if you go, there will be a pleasant memory for them. But you are a talented young man, and if you finish your studies, you can help so many people up there that will really need your help. It will be far more important than making bread and scones for the monks. You have done this in the most beautiful way, and in a way all this experience served its purpose, but life goes on, and I believe your mission is there helping the ones that need your help. If you decide to do that, I will help you in assisting with your studies, and financially until you get your degree. But first, we will have to do our best to free the Teacher from the prison."
The rookie was dumbfounded. Just an hour ago he was making a plan on how to build an oven in the corner of the building, saving so much hassle, and had thought up a new method of how to make the komboskini easier, and to use also pots for fishing crabs. No! This was far too much, the ex-chairman was asking too much of him, and so suddenly; and the bread? Who would bake the bread and the scones? How would the monks feel when they came out of the chapel after the esperino, with no scones!
The voice of the ex-chairman aroused him from his thoughts. "I am deeply sorry. I know, son, it is too much, too sudden to answer me right now. I will be here until ten o'clock tomorrow morning, when I will get the boat that goes to Piraeus; if I hear from you by then, so good, if not, so long."
The chairman got up and left. There was no point for him to wait there anymore, for what right he had to say anything else? Anyway, he felt devastated; how could he be so superficial in this? Why didn't he think deeper before he made this long journey, before he hurt this young man? Who in the world was he to expect others to have similar goals, and to share the same ideals as his? He even started to have doubts about himself, and his mission to save the Teacher; after all, the entire world cannot be wrong, and he be right. Because this was after all what it came too. Only a handful of people shared the same beliefs as his in this matter; no the whole world couldn't be wrong.
He got a room in a hotel, and lay on the bed with his clothes on. He did not even bother to take his shoes off. He immediately fell asleep, and dreamed he was a soldier. When he saw the enemies were coming, he threw down his weapon, and ran for cover behind the woods, and then he awoke, with cold sweat all over his body.
By then it had started to get dark. He had a shower and went out to the cafenio, where he had previously sat with his wife, when they made the decision to go home earlier. He ordered a double Metaxas, and sat down, wishing his wife was here.
He ordered something to eat, but the food would not go down so, he went back to the hotel, and lay in bed thinking whether to go back home, go to Holland, stay here in Patmos, or go somewhere else, and disappear from the face of the Earth.
After the initial shock, when Michael recomposed himself, he got a taxi, and went back at the monastery; he had to hurry, to catch up the time to bake the scones. After dinner he went to the workshop-studio to help the monks with the icons, for by now, he had progressed from helping with the komboskini, to do the underlines of the icons, but as he could not concentrate, he left early.
The water in the shower calmed him down; he went to his cell and lay in bed a bit earlier than usual, for he wanted to think.
He remembered about three months ago, when he had to make the decision whether to go back to work, or to stay here in Patmos. Although he was thinking all night, he knew right in the back of his mind which choice he would make. This time, the stakes were even higher, and if he were leaning to one side, just a bit, he would say, that this side would be to stay put!
He thought, and thought, of the possible avenues left for him, until he fell asleep.
At about five o'clock in the morning, the bell rang for the morning prayers, and for Michael to prepare the baking procedure. First is first, he thought, and after he washed himself he went straight to the bakery.
He started to work diligently as though with mania; he thought by doing that, he would forget. He did not want to think anymore; he wanted to be left in peace, as he was in the last three months.
The breads were backed, and he was cleaning the equipment, when suddenly he stopped, and shouted out aloud, "You selfish bastard!"...Then he thought... and what about the Teacher? Did he have the right to refuse the helping hand they asked from him? How would he carry this burden the rest of his life? How would he sleep from now on? How would he find peace again? To hell with the bakery; there are thousands bakers in this world, maybe even millions! The world needs spiritual bakers, spiritual breads.
He threw down the towel, took off his apron, and looked at his watch. It was twenty past nine. He ran to the monk with the old truck. He was not in his cell. Someone said he was in the kitchen. He was not there. Someone told him that a while ago he was with the Geronda, so he ran to see him talking with the old man under his favorite tree drinking coffee.
With his little Greek, he asked him to take him to Skala.
"The truck is broken down," said the monk.
Michael said, "I'm sorry," to Geronda, and did not wait for an answer. He ran towards the gate. He estimated the trip to be four to five kilometers. He was on the gravel road that led to Skala, but he had a dilemma. Should he stick on the road and hope a car may pass and give him a ride? Or should he take the short cut, and rely on his own strength?
He chose the second, and ran as he had never run in his whole life. The short cut he chose was on uneven and difficult ground, but he kept going. He kept on going until finally he was over the hill, and saw the port of Skala with the boat still there, and three or four cars left for loading. He knew if the boats were loaded the boat would sail away, and with this thought, he ran even faster.
He thought his lungs would explode, and his knees started to tremble and give in, but then he was closer, closer, so close, that he could see a man lifting one of the ropes that was holding the boat. He was encouraging himself, you can do it, yes come on,you can do it!
The man was lifting the other rope, the heavy door started to lift up, the official of the port authority was blowing his whistle frantically not to do it, but Michael fearlessly made the biggest jump of his life, literally and metaphorically. He landed one of his feet on the door as it was lifting up, and with a huge attempt, he pushed his body up as hard as he could. For a moment he was at limbo on the door that was still lifting up. It looked like a pelican taking off on one foot, with his hands flapping the air frantically. For a moment it looked as if he would not make it, that he would go backwards and drop in the water, or hit his head on the cement, as the boat already leaving the dock, but with a super effort he managed to keep his balance for a second on the door, and then he pushed hard, as hard as he could, and landed on the deck face down. He managed to turn around and as he was flat on the deck facing the blue sky with his nose bleeding, he saw the ex-chairman smiling.
"Count me in, Mir. Clarke," said Michael, and then he fainted.
"Welcome ab
oard son."
When he came too, there were a few passengers around him, with the ex-chairman asking them to make room so he could breathe better.
"You worried me for a while, said the ex-chairman."
"How long was I unconscious?"
"Only a few minutes luckily."
"My elbow is hurting."
"Let me see...yes you have a bruise here; can you move it?"
"Yes."
"You scared me to death when you made that jump. The ship was nearly two meters away from the dock."
"I had to make it."
"Now, hold your nose with this tissue for a while," said the ex-chairman, and he offered him a packet of paper tissues. "It should be all right, it's nearly stopped bleeding already. And what are you going to do now? Are you coming into Piraeus with me now?"
"No, I am off at the first port we are going to dock at. Then I will go back to Patmos. I have to take care of a few things."
"Which port is that?"
"I think it is Ikaria." He got up for the first time after he made that mighty jump, and was pleased to discover he had only wounded his nose and his elbow.
"I will be back in a minute," he said, and left.
After a while Michael came back waving a ticket to the ex-chairman saying, "Yes, as I thought it is Ikaria. I paid my dues."
"Is this the island, where Ikarus the son of Daedalus fell to his death, because he would not listen to his father, and flew too close to the sun? The sun melted the wax of his wings, and he fell near this island which in turn took his name?"
"That's the one."
"Heavens, how many historical places has this country got?"
"I tell you, the whole country is an archaeological site."
"In that case, I don't want you to rush again, so let's clear things up before we reach Ikaria. First of all, this is my phone number. You can ring me or text me, or e-mail me. This is my e-mail address. Now this is a bankcard, and here is the pin. You can draw up to thousand dollars a day so I suggest you to draw a thousand today from Ikaria if you can, because tomorrow or after tomorrow when you are buying airline and boat tickets, you may need more than that. You got me so far?"
"I got you."
"Okay, there are ten thousand dollars in this account. If you run out, this is the phone number where you can reach my wife. You ring her and ask her to add more. Now, whatever money you spend, you keep the receipts for we have to justify every dollar we spend to the Free the Teacher fund. You got that?"
"Yes, I do."
"Now, what else...let me see... oh yes, give me your phone number."
"Hmm, I don't remember it. I haven't used it for a long time. I will ring and give it to you."
"Okay now, let me think... I can't think of anything else, are you clear so far?"
"Yes, I am."
"Well, let's talk about our plans and strategy now. I will go to Athens and get the first plane to Amsterdam to see the Teacher. You will go to Patmos, take care of whatever concerns you, then, you go to Athens and get the first flight home. Don't go to the trouble yet to find an apartment, for we don't know how things are going to