Nik refrained from saying any more. He knew pressuring his grandfather would get him nowhere. He pushed the back fly-screen door open and sauntered over to the old yellow Kelvinator refrigerator. Though rusty at the corners and along the base, the fridge still kept the drinks chilled. He slipped four stubbies into an ancient esky and shut the lid. Nik spied his grandfather with a tray of food and hurried over to the door to pull it open. There was a bowl of green and black olives, eggplant dip with gyros, keftedakia – small meatballs – and crispy whitebait deep-fried and coated in savoury flour. It looked like Iasos had prepared the meze platter, a mixture of hot and cold appetisers, for this visit.
They walked over to the jarrah outdoor setting, under the canopy of an old willow tree. His grandfather placed the tray on the table as Nik pulled out two beers, unscrewed the lids, handed one over to his grandfather and then sat.
Nik raised his stubby. ‘Cheers, Papou.’
‘Sti̱n ygeiá sas, cheers.’ Papou took a mouthful of beer and turned to Nik. ‘Eat. You must be hungry after teaching those rowdy boys.’
Nik had to smile. In his day he hadn’t always been an exemplary student and had given his teachers a hard time, but mostly, the boys in his own classes were well behaved. Like everyone else, kids had unpleasant days, and combined with hormones, it could create behavioural issues. He picked up a meatball and popped it into his mouth.
He relaxed as they chatted about the weather, politics, the former premier of Western Australia and the revolving door of federal leaders of the Australian parliament. They moved on to history, a favourite subject of theirs, in particular the ancient world. His grandfather was an intellectual who spoke six languages and had been a professor of ancient history at the university in Perth. He had retired a few years ago to write a book on the history of their family. When Nik asked about the progress of the book, his grandfather remained secretive, saying that when the time was right, he would show him.
Nik tore off a piece of flatbread to scoop up the eggplant dip. The roasted vegetable blended with crushed garlic and oil complemented the toasted gyros.
‘I’m glad you came,’ Papou said, gazing at Nik.
‘So what is it you want to talk over?’ Nik noted the serious expression on his grandfather’s face and his heart plummeted. ‘You’re not dying, are you? I was concerned and rang Mum to find out whether she’d heard from you …’
Papou smiled and patted Nik’s hand, cutting him off.
‘No, Niko, I’m not dying. However, I have something for you. It’s been in the family for a long time, a very long time.’
‘Thank goodness! Ever since your text I thought you were sick, ill, and you wanted to share the news with me. I’m very relieved you’re okay.’ His heartbeat returned to normal. ‘What is it you want to give me?’
‘I didn’t mean to worry you, but it was important that you came.’ Papou reached into his pocket and pulled out a coin. ‘I want you to take care of this.’
Nik peered at the dulled silver coin. The shape was irregular, not a proper circle but the shape obvious. The face of the coin had a turtle, the workmanship refined with the shell outlined in intricate detail, as were the head and flippers.
‘What’s on the other side?’ he asked, reaching out to turn over the coin.
His grandfather closed his hand, the unusual coin closeted in his fist. Nik looked at him with an arched brow.
‘First, I must tell you the history of the coin, and how it came to be in our family’s possession.’
Nik gazed at his grandfather, but the expression on the old man’s face gave nothing away. ‘Okay,’ he said, pointing to the coin with his stubby, ‘so how old is the coin?’
Papou held it up between his thumb and index finger. ‘It’s two and a half thousand years old.’
‘No way!’ Nik perched on the edge of his seat to inspect it.
Papou nodded. ‘According to primary historical accounts, it was minted in 500 BCE, on the island of Aegina. See the imprint of the turtle? It’s the symbol of the goddess Aphrodite, and according to a handful of scholars, the Temple of Aphrodite issued the coin. The island had the first mint in the world, and in honour of the goddess they struck the coins with this image.’
‘It must be worth a fortune,’ said Nik, awed. ‘Have you ever had it valued?’
His grandfather shook his head. ‘No. It is a part of our family’s history. You must never sell it.’ Papou took hold of Nik’s arm and grasped it. His grip tightened as his eyes hardened like ice. ‘This coin has remained in the family for two millennia and will continue to do so. Do I make myself clear?’
‘Chill, Papou,’ Nik said, shocked by the harshness of the old man’s voice and grim tone, let alone the vice-like grip on his arm. ‘What’s the harm in knowing how much it’s worth?’
‘Its value is greater than money. Our family are the guardians of the coin.’
‘Guardians? Of a two thousand five hundred-year-old coin?’
‘The significance of this coin has more layers than an onion,’ his grandfather said in a sombre tone. ‘Many people have searched for it. Even Hitler had his soldiers seeking the coin.’
Nik felt a cold shiver snake up his spine. ‘Why did Hitler want it?’
‘It is said that the unique qualities of the coin can change the life of the one who possesses it.’
‘How?’
‘It goes back to the first person who learned what it can do,’ Papou said as he pocketed the coin. He took a long draught of beer. ‘Hand me another, will you?’
Nik took another stubby from the esky. ‘Who was it?’ he asked as he handed over the bottle.
‘Herodotos.’
‘The ancient Greek historian?’
Papou nodded and smiled with approval. ‘I am very pleased you have the same passion for the past as I have and studied ancient history.’
‘I wrote a paper at university on Herodotos to disprove why scholars considered him a charlatan who fabricated history.’
‘That is why I chose you. The knowledge you have will serve you well. However, you must learn much more if you are to be the guardian of this coin,’ said Papou. ‘You will be prepared, and understand how important it is to protect the coin. There are aspects of this role you must consider before you agree to become the coin’s next protector.’ The old man regarded Nik, his gaze unyielding.
When he resumed speaking, there was no inflection in his voice. His tone sounded like the emotionless voice that recites the many options when calling an insurance or telecommunications company. ‘The coin’s custodian must undertake further studies on the history of Ancient Greece, and I’m not referring to accessing information from the internet. There are books and instructions passed on from the current protector to the next, and there is also training with weapons.’
Nik did a double take. ‘Weapons training? What weapons are you referring to, and why do I need to learn how to use them? I can’t see how protecting a coin warrants such extreme measures.’
‘This is serious, my boy.’ Papou’s eyes flashed and become flinty. ‘There are many people who will do anything to get their hands on this tribute coin. You think Hitler was the only one who learned of its existence? The world would be very different if he had found it. Several guardians have lost their lives protecting the goddess’s turtle.’
‘If there are, as you say, many people who know of its existence, how is it not mentioned in the history books or anywhere else?’
‘Our family worked hard to discount its existence, and the only ones who knew the truth of it were the guardians. They alone know the power it holds and what it can do.’ Papou shook his finger at Nik. ‘And that is how it will remain. No one except the protector and his or her successor is aware of the coin’s existence and purpose.’
‘And you’ve chosen me to be the next person to guard the coin?’ Nik ran his thumb over the mouth of the beer bottle. ‘I’m guessing Dad hasn’t been told?’
His grandfather did n
ot answer straight away, instead his jaw tightened. ‘Not every potential guardian is suitable, or dependable, to take the responsibility. It is at the discretion of the current caretaker to determine who should be the coin’s next protector.’
Nik’s father had spent his youth and early adulthood in a drug-fuelled haze. In several instances he was fortunate not to have died from an overdose. To get him away from the group of people he was mixing with, Papou had sent his son to a family in Greece. The village was small and remote, high in the mountains of Taygetos. It was there that he had met Nik’s mother.
‘Did Yiayiá learn of the secret?’
Papou’s face softened at the mention of his wife. ‘She was a very intelligent woman. I know she knew about the coin throughout our marriage. She knew me better than I did myself.’
‘Did she ever ask you?’
‘No, nor did she speak of it. She was a wise and beautiful woman.’
‘I miss her too,’ Nik said. His attention turned to the gazebo Papou had built for his grandmother early in their marriage. She would sit in it every day, even if it was only for a few minutes. ‘Apart from our shared interest in ancient history, why did you pick me?’
‘You are smart, a quick learner and able to think, using logic and being creative where necessary. You will need these attributes to protect the coin. And before you mock, it is more imperative today than ever. With the changing pace of technology, and those social networking sites people interact on, information spreads quicker than a bushfire. This role is not just keeping the coin, locking it away and forgetting about it. It requires diligence and attention to ensure the goddess’s turtle remains safe.’
‘I still don’t understand what it is you do to protect the coin,’ Nik said, scratching his head. ‘As the saying goes “out of sight, out of mind”. Isn’t that the best way? If you can’t see it, then no one can know about it.’
‘If it were that simple.’ Papou sighed. ‘Many ancestors have tried to adopt that principle and failed. It is regrettable that flawed human behaviour impedes virtue.’
‘What happens now? Do you need my decision right away?’
‘I want you to take the time to think it over. You need to consider the expectations of this role. You cannot talk to anyone about what I told you today, nobody except me.’
‘It’s what you haven’t said that troubles me,’ Nik said.
‘I can’t tell you any more than what I have revealed, or the coin and you will be in danger.’
Nik swallowed, and asked, ‘And if I decide not to take on the position of guardian, what happens then?’
Papou gazed across his backyard. ‘The coin and I become inseparable.’
Nik blinked. ‘What do you mean?’
His grandfather turned to him. ‘What matters is that the coin remains hidden.’
Papou stood and started clearing the table. ‘You have a lot to consider, Niko. If you become the coin’s next guardian, your life will change.’ He picked up the tray and looked at his grandson. ‘The life of a protector isn’t easy, but it has its rewards.’
Nik stared after his grandfather as he carried the tray into the house. His mind whirled and, after standing for a while, he picked up the empty beer bottles. He walked to the recycling bin and dropped them in. The bottles landed with a heavy thud and clinked as they hit against each other. He remained by the bin, motionless, holding the lid upright.
Could his grandfather have the onset of dementia? Had his mind conjured up this story? Papou didn’t appear delusional and seemed to believe every word he spoke.
Nik dropped the lid and went into the house. He needed to research the symptoms of dementia and establish whether his grandfather showed signs of mental illness. Until he had more facts, he wouldn’t mention any of this conversation to his parents. There was no point in having them worry if there was no need. Nik rinsed his hands in the laundry and joined his grandfather, who was washing the dishes in the kitchen.
When he got home, Nik set his laptop on the low table in front of the lounge suite and searched for Alzheimer’s disease. Hours later, he sat back and rubbed his tired eyes. From the various sources he’d read, Papou didn’t show any of the indicators associated with the disease. Nik typed Goddess’s turtle into a new tab and pressed the return button. Google spat out a list of links, but none referred to the coin. He entered another search term and learned that the Mesopotamians were the first ancient people to affix value to items by weight, and used silver rings as a system of currency, as early as 3100 BCE. Wanting more information, he checked another website and read that the first coins were introduced into the economy around the sixth or fifth century BCE. He kept reading until he saw a familiar name, his mouth dropping open.
His grandfather’s words rang in his head as he re-read the opening lines of text:
Aphrodite was the first of Greek gods named and attributed to a coin. Her popularity amongst the ancient civilisations since prehistory shows her long affiliation with humans and of her importance in their lives.
He clicked on the hyperlink and a fresh page opened. There he saw the name Herodotos mentioned. He kept searching and clicked on a website on Aegina, displaying images of coins minted on the island. Nik leaned back on the sofa, his attention fastened on the graphic on the screen.
The old man wasn’t senile.
Chapter Three
Nik woke up on the couch the next morning and sat up with a groan. His neck protested, the tendons tight as he stretched, moving his head from side to side. When he turned his head to the right, his eyes widened as he glimpsed the clock. 7:30 am. He bolted off the seat, swearing as he sidestepped the table and rushed towards the shower.
Forty minutes later he pulled in the school’s car park and hurried to the cafeteria. Students called out in greeting as he entered the busy undercover area that provide shade during inclement weather and on hot days. He smiled and nodded at the boys, headed for the staff line and bought a vegemite roll.
‘Late night, sir?’ A few students called out as he walked past.
‘More of a late start,’ he said between mouthfuls of his roll.
‘Sir? Sir?’
Nik turned. ‘Good morning, Foster.’ He waited until the fourteen-year-old reached him. ‘What can I do for you?’
‘Morning, sir. I, ah … I don’t understand several questions in the assessment we’re to hand in tomorrow.’
‘And you waited until today to ask me?’ Nik asked. The boy’s face fell. ‘Come to the library at lunchtime and I’ll help you.’
‘Thank you, sir!’ The boy hurried back to his friends.
‘And Foster!’
The boy skidded to a stop and turned. ‘Sir?’
‘Don’t be late.’
‘I won’t, sir.’
The trip to his department’s office took longer than he expected, with students stopping him along the way, wanting his attention. He placed his half-eaten roll, laptop, and case on the desk, picked up his mug and headed for the coffee jug.
‘You look like shit, Nik,’ said Harry, a colleague who was filling his cup with coffee. ‘Big night, was it?’
‘If only. Late one; researching.’ Nik held out his cup, while Harry poured the strong aromatic brew. Nik took a sip and closed his eyes as he savoured the hot, bitter liquid.
‘Must have been one heck of night “researching”.’ Harry raised his eyebrows and smirked.
‘Maybe you can help? Do you know anything on the history of coins and mints?’
Harry stared at him, cup poised at his lips. ‘Seriously? Is that what you were doing last night, researching coins?’
Nik nodded and took another sip of coffee.
‘You need to get a life,’ Harry said, shaking his head.
‘I take that as a no.’
‘You guessed right. Your best bet is to contact the numismatic society, someone there should be able to help.’
Nik raised his cup at Harry. ‘That’s a brilliant idea.’
&
nbsp; The rest of the day passed by in a blur for Nik, his mind never far from his grandfather’s revelation. After he dismissed his last class for the day, he sat down at the desk and looked up contact details for a local numismatic society. He clicked on a website and saw listings for clubs throughout the state. There was a name listed, a professor at Murdoch University, with an email address. He wrote the details down and then moved on to check more links. Minutes passed until he hit on the British Museum site.
According to the museum’s records, the first coins came from Asia Minor, around the seventh century BCE, and then minting coins spread to the Greek world. Aegina was the earliest and busiest mint in Greece, one hundred years later. The more Nik read, more surprising facts came to light. Sicily had made silver coins during the same time. He clicked on a coin from Akragas, modern Agrigento. The image was impressive and detailed: on the obverse it had the sun-god Helios travelling on his chariot, an eagle flying overhead, and a crab below. On the reverse were two eagles standing on the body of a hare lying on a rock – one poised to tear into the flesh of the animal and the other, its head raised, screaming – and a grasshopper to the right.
Nik shut down his laptop. Information from the material he had searched and read last night and what he’d found now gave credence to part of the story told by his grandfather. The island of Aegina correlated with the history of the development and minting of coins, and the people worshipped Aphrodite over all other Greek gods. And he found images of turtles and the goddess’s image etched onto steles, vases and kylixes displayed on websites, yet the information did not correlate to the goddess’s coin, not the one his grandfather showed him. Although he hadn’t expected to find much on it at all; its existence kept secret for centuries. He wanted to know more, such as how did his grandfather, and those protectors before him, keep the coin concealed for so long? And who were the other people his grandfather alluded to – those who must never learn of the coin’s existence?
Nik gathered his belongings and left the classroom, locking the door behind him. He stretched his neck from side to side, grateful it was Friday and there would be no rushing around for the next two days.
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