Page 141 - Exile-ebook

140 AN EXILE OF THE MIND MAGGIE, THE FLOWER CHILD 141

Our landlord would leave wildflowers on the doorstep. Women transporting goods along the waterfront on Paros.

white-washed bright in sharp contrast cards printed from a wood block A classical Greek beauty, the bak- returned to London and I visited
against a sky swept brightly blue, carved with a razorblade and sent er’s daughter, sold her family’s wares Athens and met two French Canadi-
stood proudly on stone pavements. them out to friends far and wide to in the bakery where she was pursued an girls and an Australian in a camp-
Ancient Greek ruins were sparse on celebrate Christmas cheer with us. by an infatuated Bernie. He had to ervan. They had seen nothing of the
the island but a medieval castle lay half Bernie, from student days, was living make a hasty retreat when the girl’s islands and were about to return to
submerged at the seafront. An ancient in Paris and was our only visitor. fiancé became suspicious about the London. I persuaded them to visit
mine inland had once provided fine Hobnail boots flashed sparks large amount of bread Bernie was Paros and rented a farmhouse over-
Parian marble used by Praxiteles and across a stone-flagged patio to Greek buying. looking the harbour for $10 a month.
other ancient Greek sculptors. music as we danced Zorba style and On a morning walk on the hillside Its walls, 40 centimetres thick,
I witnessed a sarcophagus, an- drank mavrodaphne wine made behind us Bernie found a life-sized stood solid beneath a bamboo ceiling
ciently inscripted, unearthed at a from black grapes stomped by local hand of ancient marble holding a supported by rough wooden beams.
building site down the road. It was monks in the monastic tradition. ball, exposed by the recent heavy Each morning the landlord left wild-
quickly covered with concrete. Con- These vintners went about their rain. It was a Christmas present un- flowers in a jam jar on the doorstep.
struction of the new building would business on the island conspicuous expected and a paper weight to keep I bought the campervan from the
have been delayed for years by a by their purple-stained feet. A chick- his research notes from flying out of Australian and Nicole, one of the
mountain of red tape in Athens. en that drowned itself in the sea for his Parisian window. French Canadians, decided to travel
As the festive season drew close reasons unknown was destined to After several months on Paros, with me to new adventures across
we made ‘Christmas Conversazione’ become our Christmas dinner. Russell and I left the island. Russell the regions of Europe.