Penthesilea's Wish [Vol.2]

Chapter Six

Arriving in Athens after the grueling connecting flight from New York, Nicasio and Daniela met a contact person arranged by Professor Simons at the luggage gate of VenizelosInternationalAirport. Geoffrey Sykes was a gray-bearded and wiry man of indiscernible age, though he gave the impression through his American English and cultural adaptability that he might be even more seasoned than he looked. This was confirmed as he helped them with their luggage into a minivan in front of the airport terminal and then mentioned briefly that he had lived for a while in California during the turbulent 1970's.

Strolling out into the warm air and placing their carryon bags into the back of Sykes' vehicle, the couple was introduced to a blast of dry wind as they confronted the midnight air of the AtticPeninsula. Though it was only late May, the weather was different than the climate they had left on the CentralCoast in California. It no longer had the cool, moist smell of the Pacific Ocean. This was their first impression of another world, entirely, with a much more ancient human history.

Leaving the surprisingly modern airport facilities and ramping onto a freeway towards the center of Athens, Nicasio and Daniela sat in the back of the van feeling both excitement and uneasiness at being on this other side of the world. The realities of it were dawning on Daniela as she noticed all the signs along the freeway were in two separate alphabets. The forty-minute drive into the heart of the Athens became a wake-up call to a different population as well. The van soon left the low-stress, somewhat isolated freeway and entered a metropolitan gridlock at 12:45 AM. Aside from the density of traffic which seemed to be incongruous with the late hour, the streets were alive with people. Crowds were seated in the outdoor tavernas conversing, drinking and fully engaged in lively activity—all as if it were early evening in any city of the United States. Nicasio asked Geoffrey why so many people were out at that hour and not home asleep.

"Greeks!" He said rather conclusively. "They're lovely people but a little over the top about staying out all night.

Nicasio turned and smiled at Daniela.

"Talking, smoking and eating mostly," their driver added. "You'll see." Geoffrey pointed to a large square they were passing slowly in traffic.

"Even in this long economic crises they'll be gathered out here on the streets. Socializing. All hours . . . arguing about politics . . . and the uncertain economy mostly. Either that or it's football. The young kids just sit and try to talk while all their friends are on cell phones. It's a hoot really."

The two looked out the window eagerly to confirm his analysis.

"These days if their not berating their useless government leaders or do-nothing parliamentarians, they're cursing the Germans and multinational banks for what they see as getting their country into this mess. Unfortunately, the people here see paying taxes as an optional proposition at best. They avoid the practice like the rest of the world avoids diseases. Can't really blame them though. How much of the money ever makes it into the state budget is another story. It's a full-blown depression in this little country right now. Mostly as a result of internal corruption."

Geoffrey seemed to be driving erratically. And a little too quickly to be in such heavy traffic, though every other car seemed to be in competition with his road space. To both Nicasio and Daniela the tempo on the streets was akin to a low grade panic, and seemingly for no apparent reason.

"How long will the two of you be here?" Geoffrey asked, lighting a cigarette and engulfing the car with toxicity they did not have to endure on the plane or in both airports. For a brief moment during the activity he seemed to be commandeering the car with no hands.

"Probably about a week," Nicasio responded, looking at Daniela for her reaction.

"Well . . . that's about how long it takes."