The Last Nymph

Return of the Diver

For the next several days, following the clearing of the summer storm, Doc waited patiently to see Maera again. He even gave up the first beautiful morning to walk the cliffs and coves looking to see her rather than taking the boat to Mytikas for supplies. On the following day as he began to journey around the south side of the island toward Port Kalamos with his crates and skateboard. He was not far from his house when he heard the familiar sound of a Zodiac speeding over from the mainland. As the small rubber craft pulled into a cove below, Doc recognized the single individual to be Alexandros, the Greek underwater photographer he had met and spoke to earlier.

While the young man seemed to be setting up his equipment for a dive, Doc left his empty crates on the path and hiked down the steep hillside to meet with him.

"I see you just can't resist the beauty on this side of the island," Doc called out in Greek while approaching him below.

"Hello, my friend! You are right about that."

Doc had finally made it to the sliver of white sand where the diver's boat was beached.

"This side has some amazing rock formations and caves to shoot," Alexandros said. "The fish are plenty . . . and now that the light is back, so am I."

"That was quite a storm these past days and nights," Doc added, standing near the hull of the craft. "Was it as spectacular on your side of the island?"

"Completely," he answered, smiling cordially. "The power went out over there and the hotel was dark for a day and a half. My friend took his boat back over to Lefkada today. Thought I'd use the time to get some more shots on this side."

"Perfect day to do so," Doc said.

"Were you OK in the storm?" the young man asked.
He remembered what an amazing night it had been with Maera: the lobster dinner, the dancing and storytelling.

"Yes. It was very nice here," he simply said.

Alexandros had put on his diving apparel and readied his oxygen tanks and camera to depart off the sand.

"Tell me, friend," he said, testing his pressure valve once more. "That beautiful girl . . . The one you said lives around here. Has she been near the sea these days?"

"Well, I've not seen her, actually." Doc thought about her previous attraction to the diver. "But you never know with her. She does swim around this side of the island a lot. The weather's perfect for a swim today. You may be lucky enough to see her."

Doc thought about telling him he had relayed the message to Maera—about the diver wanting to see her sometime. But his motive to not tell was somewhat distant and not totally understood in his mind.

"Well, let's hope the Fates are with me today, friend." The diver said, smiling again. "I have the whole day to spend shooting over here today."

Doc just nodded and raised his hand in farewell as the young man walked awkwardly in his gear over to the water. He waved back, and then effortlessly disappeared beneath the surface.

* * *

Doc managed to get his crates to Port Kalamos in time to catch the daily boat that ferried tourists and locals alike over to the Mytikas wharf. It was a 20 minutes cruise across the strait, and on the deck and inside the water taxi was packed with the usual summer crowd. He saw young tourists in colorful summer garb with their backpacks, off for a day of shopping and drinking that night in the local clubs. There were also the usual island locals, wearing their more pedestrian clothes just for survival. There were also a few well-dressed men, looking to be officials of some sort doing business on the other side of Kalamos.