sábado, 3 de janeiro de 2015

Demon (Parte 2 de 3)


- Tens medo?

- Tenho.

- De quê? De mim?

- Não devo responder a isso. Não é muito justo...

Ele olhou-me com uma expressão meio pedinte, quase irresistível. Eu sentia que devia dizer-lhe o que se passava na minha cabeça...

- Tenho medo, às vezes, dos meus próprios demônios...Não devo condenar-me por isso, entretanto.

- Não precisas temer. Relaxa e deixa-te levar. Não te quero nenhum mal.

- Se fosse assim tão fácil...

Ele riu. Não era por  troça... parecia ser mais por complacência. Talvez quisesse que eu ficasse mais à vontade. Eu sabia, entretanto que não era tão fácil.

- Feche os olhos.

- Nem pensar...

- Não tenha medo. Não vou-te machucar. Só quero que relaxes. Vamos lá.

Eu obedeci, apesar da apreensão que sentia. Ele tocou-me o rosto, muito levemente. Eu abri os olhos. Ele passou-me os dedos pelas pálpebras e fez-me fechá-las outra vez.

- Shh... Acalma-te. Não pense em nada de mal. Eu não vou fazer nada que não queiras.

(Ali estava um problema. E se eu quisesse tudo? E se não quisesse nada? E se eu perdesse o controle? Oh, meu Deus!)

Ele tocou-me o lado da face, passou-me as pontas dos dedos mornos pelos lóbulos das orelhas, pelo pescoço, pela nuca e subiu, com os dedos entre meus cabelos e foi além, massajando minha cabeça com destreza e puxando-a um pouco para trás. Senti o calor de seus lábios macios na minha testa, nos meus olhos, no meu rosto e, finalmente, no canto da minha boca, a roçar meus lábios, muito de leve. Eu gemi, baixinho. Ele passou os lábios muito tenuemente sobre os meus, mas sem fazer qualquer pressão. Eu movi os meus.

- Shh... Não. Deixes que eu te beije. Não faças nada... ainda...

Sua voz era um  sussurro e eu quase nem percebia muito as palavras, mas entendia a intenção. Ele beijou-me o queixo, o pescoço, o peito e, abrindo um botão e afastando um pouco o tecido para o lado, procurou, na extensão da pele arrepiada, um dos pontos mais sensíveis do meu corpo, que já estava à espera do calor de sua boca e, não surpreendentemente, pela ponta da língua, que ali brincou por uns instantes. Ele abriu mais uns botões e beijou-me um pouco mais abaixo, virou-se um pouco na exploração e beijou-me acima e abaixo do umbigo, descendo devagar, a roçar minha pele com a barba macia, que causava-me sensações estranhas por onde passava. Todos os meus poros estavam em estado de alerta, à espera que ele descesse um pouco mais, mas, ao invés disso, ele começou a subir, beijando-me, por uma linha imaginária, desenhada bem ao centro do meu corpo, até chegar-me à boca, naquilo que pareceu-me um lapso de tempo tão difícil de saber se havia sido longo ou curto.

Sua boca era morna e seus lábios extremamente macios a pressionar os meus e, desta vez, permitindo-me responder ao tépido contacto. Ele não forçou mais do aquele toque superficial de lábios e levou a boca ao meu ouvido, sussurrando as palavras que eu já sabia que ia ouvir.

- Ainda tens medo?

- Tenho...

Ele abraçou-me ternamente, deixou-me sentir o calor de seu corpo e esperou que passasse meus braços em volta do seu corpo e relaxasse, antes de falar, novamente, muito baixinho.

- Não tenhas...

Ele soltou-se, olhou-me nos olhos, enquanto suas mãos voltavam a abotoar-me a roupa que ele mesmo havia aberto alguns minutos antes. Voltou a beijar-me os olhos e, depois, as mãos.

- Vamos?

- Vamos!

Ele girou a chave na ignição e conduziu, em silêncio, pela avenida à orla do mar, que à aquela hora pareceu-me um imenso manto negro, a gritar-me, numa linguagem que eu não percebia, palavras que eu não conseguia distinguir se eram de alerta ou de incentivo. Minha mente estava numa completa confusão, em um turbilhão de sentimentos, dúvidas e perguntas. Ele não falou nada. Nem eu, tampouco. Quando ele saiu da avenida e tomou a direção de uma região que não era a de onde partimos, inicialmente, eu não fiz perguntas, não comentei, nem protestei. Apertei uma mão contra a outra, numa espécie de desconforto e olhei para fora.

Ele colocou a mão sobre a minha e sorriu, sem dizer nada. Esbocei um sorriso meio sem graça. Felizmente havia pouca luz dentro do carro, exceto quando passávamos pela iluminação pública, que ia, aos poucos e constantemente, dando flashes da expressão estranha, ainda estampada na minha face.

***

O raio de sol que entrava por uma brecha na cortina mal fechada caiu-me em cheio sobre o rosto e os olhos. Tentei concentrar-me no que havia à minha volta. Minha cabeça estava às voltas e eu não tinha muita certeza de onde estava. Apesar de a cabeça doer-me e dos olhos demorarem um pouco a focar,  reconheci o quarto e a cama na qual estava.

Uma batida na porta despertou-me completamente e de uma vez. Levantei-me às pressas e dirigi-me à porta, que abri de imediato. A camareira olhou-me com uma expressão engraçada, tentando desviar o olhar do meu corpo nu.

-Posso arrumar o quarto?

- Hum... Claro... Pode entrar.

Enfiei-me na primeira porta e tranquei-a. Precisava de um duche com muita urgência. Ainda não conseguia pensar nos detalhes da noite passada. Abri a água morna e entrei no banho, tentando resgatar pedaços de mim, enquanto ensaboava o corpo, com energia.

('Meu Deus', pensei. 'O que foi que eu fiz?')

- Vai precisar de mais toalhas?

- Ahn? Não, agradeço. Já estou de saída.

Abri a porta, com a toalha enrolada no corpo e saí para o quarto, enquanto a camareira entrava na casa de banho, para completar o serviço. Apressei-me a vestir-me e sair, antes mesmo de ter outro encontro com a mulher da limpeza, que murmurava uma canção, enquanto lá estava a trocar toalhas, material de higiene pessoal e a lustrar o piso com uma esfregona. Bati a porta atrás de mim e fui até a receção. A conta estava paga. O pequeno-almoço ainda estava sendo servido, no salão ao lado da receção, mas decidi sair, sem comer.

Meu estômago estava às voltas, assim como minha cabeça. À porta, chamei um táxi, para voltar à minha casa, tentando concentrar-me nos detalhes, muito pouco nítidos na minha memória, apesar de haver passado apenas algumas horas, desde que havíamos chegado a aquele lugar.  

(Concentra-te! O que foi que fizeste?)

Fechei os olhos. Eu precisava recordar. Não lembrava de alguma vez haver tido qualquer espécie de blackout como aquele. O que é que impedia-me de lembrar? Eu perguntava-me vezes e vezes, mas não conseguia resposta.  

Chegamos ao meu destino, sem que eu percebesse o caminho por onde viera. O taxista disse o valor da corrida e eu apressei-me a buscar a carteira, para pagá-lo. Junto com as poucas notas no compartimento da frente, havia um pedaço de papel dobrado, com o timbre do hotel, que eu tinha certeza não o haver colocado ali. Paguei o homem e cruzei a larga calçada.

Minha mão, enfiada no bolso do casaco, segurava, firmemente, o pedaço de papel dobrado. Minha ansiedade impedia-me de pensar logicamente. O maldito elevador ainda resolvia estar preso em algum andar, pela demora que levava para chegar, como se quisesse caçoar do meu desespero e confusão. Eu tentava não mostrar apreensão às outras pessoas paradas em frente às portas metálicas, no hall do edifício.

Quando, finalmente, entrei no apartamento, esqueci todo o resto, tirei a mão do bolso e desdobrei o papel. Havia uma mensagem escrita, numa caligrafia que eu já conhecia. Meus olhos pousaram sobre as letras e as palavras, que não pareceram fazer muito sentido à primeira vista.


- Mas, que diabos!?...

sábado, 27 de dezembro de 2014

Demon (Part 1 of 3)


When I left the station, my head was still somewhat stunned by the image of a sad farewell and the vision of the last railway wagon being swallowed by the autumn morning mist. I did not really see the person whom I bumped into, scattering a reasonable number of packages along the pavement. I hastened to help minimize the damage I had done, almost without looking at the face of the person who knelt down, at the same time, saying there was no problem, in response to my plea for apologies.

When I looked up and saw those eyes so green, I wondered if the gods decided to play their games with me, teasing me one time after the other, over and over again. I must have been staring at those emerald eyes for too long because the smile I got back, left me somewhat awkward, thinking I could have exceeded some boundary. I looked back down, with my face completely flushed and feeling my ears burning with embarrassment.

- It was no big deal. It happens... Thanks for helping me collect the packages.

- It was the least I could do to make up for the damage.

My voice sounded strange. I could hardly recognize myself. I wanted to disappear, in spite of feeling an incredible magnetism, as if I was being somewhat controlled by those eyes. The shame I felt made me feel absolutely uncomfortable. I wanted to run away from there, but something inside was fighting against that intention. In a way, I also felt that I wanted to stay. He then surprised me by asking something I never expected to hear, at that time, from a complete stranger.

- Do you want to have a cup of coffee with me?

I must have made a strange face, because he laughed loudly.

***

My eyes fell upon the bags on the chair beside him and that contained the parcels, which were scattered down the sidewalk outside the train station a few minutes before. He noticed my curiosity, but did not say anything until I asked.

- Are those gifts for your children?

- They're for my nephews ... I have no children. I'm not married.

My soul grinned. The corner of my mouth must have shown some kind of sign. He laughed and held his hand out.

- My name is Dima.

I told him mine. He made a kind of strange face at the mention of my unusual, somewhat atypical name and asked:

- What is the meaning?

- What is meaning of what?

He laughed.

- Of your name.

I never thought my name could have a meaning. Anyway, I made a quick trip in my memory and on what I knew about my origins, trying to come to any conclusions, but I came to virtually nothing. In my country and in my family, the names were always given by choice and affinity, not meanings. I was aware mine had been chosen at random, without any criterion, other than the initial, which was equal to that first letter of the name of my brothers. He then explained the reason for the question:

- My name was given in honour of Demeter, the goddess. Dmitry. Dima. I like, however, to use a pseudonym in a pun with the pronunciation: Demon. It gives me an uncommon identity...

And he laughed with the corner of his mouth, raising his right eyebrow, in a way I could never do, try as I might. That way of raising his eyebrow gave him the looks that would fit perfectly in the nickname he had chosen himself.

If life were a movie, the dramatic incidental music which anticipates a great suspense would play at that right moment. I laughed inside at that silly thought. To tell the truth, I had done the association, mentally, but I pretended to show surprise. It was just a little white lie, in order not to be too obvious or to look any clever. Sometimes it is better to pass up a silly impression and keep expectations low. And besides, I wanted him to talk more about himself.

- Demon... Interesting...

He looked straight into my eyes and smiled. An unusual thought came to my mind at that moment. A strange feeling bothered me, like the pierce of a finger on a rose thorn. Something scratched the sense of coherence in me.

How strange... That smile seemed almost impossible for me to resist . He realized a kind of embarrassment in my way of looking at him and opened his best grin ever.

- (Who is this man, anyway?)

That young paled skin demon with light eyes could easily lead me to temptation and I knew it would be difficult to dither.

- I have to go. Thanks for the company, but I have to go...

He took a paper serviette and scribbled a phone number and an email address. He handed it to me and extended his hand.

- Keep contact. Hope to see you a next time.

He got up and left without turning around. As he passed the window, he looked in and waved at me with a mischievous smile. I smiled back. My hand rested on the serviette, as if trying to keep a bit of him with me for a while longer... maybe in vain...

I shook my head, got up and left. It was time to come back to real life.

***

- I thought you were not going contact me.

- I confess that I hesitated, but finally decided... and I do not quite know what to say.

- Invite me for a coffee. You need no more than that...

I laughed. He was right. There was no reason for any excuses. It's good to be an independent adult and give no account of what one does to anyone at all.

We met at the same place as the first time. He was already sitting at a table when I came in. He greeted me with a warm and firm handshake and a broad smile. My face was burning, as if I had a fever and I felt hot, although we were in the middle of a cold winter.

- Let's get out of here and go to some quieter place. I just had an idea.

He drove us to a beach. The sea was calm and the day clean and dry, in spite of the temperature being fairly low. We walked along the sand, side by side, almost without talking, each one immersed in our own private thoughts. Sometimes we stopped to catch a shell, throw a stone into the sea, or watch the seagulls fly and the waves break and crawl to our feet.

The minutes seemed to fly away. Soon the sun started to go down and dive slowly into the horizon. We were side by side in silence feeling the cool air and the colours of the sky change into stronger shades of warm colours.

- It's beautiful.

- It is indeed...

I felt a strange emotion at that moment, when my hand touched his, almost accidentally. The beach was deserted and quiet, unlike my mind.

- Let's go back? I'm cold.

- OK.

Back in the car, I felt like rubbing my hands with energy, as I was freezing. Have it cooled too quickly or was I with the body temperature completely out of tune? Maybe there was something else behind all of that and my mind and body were showing signals of my restlessness.

- Are you that cold? Do you want me to turn the heating on?

- There’s no need for that. Thanks... Just let it be...

- Or do you want me to help you warm up some other way?

- Which other way?

He laughed again, with the corner of the mouth and with his eyebrow raised, displaying the same facial expression that he had shown the day he spoke about the unusual nickname he had chosen to use. A strange sensation messed with my stomach and I outlined a wan smile.

- I do not usually sleep with demons... nonetheless with my own ones...

He rested his hand on mine and said, seriously:

- Sleeping with your demons is far more acceptable than laying with the ones who betray your trust...

He was right. I raised my head and looked into his eyes when I heard him continue the thought.

- And some people do not need to sell their souls instead...

His pupils dilated, fixed in my eyes. My throat felt dry and I could not look away from his stare. He came closer.

I froze. A chill ran up my spine.

I seemed to have my body and mind paralyzed or magnetized, perhaps completely spellbound and unable to react against a kind of power that emanated from him. I felt the heat of his breath getting closer to my face. I shut my eyes... and my body quivered in fear...


***

sexta-feira, 19 de dezembro de 2014

Demon (Parte 1 de 3)


Eu saí da estação com a cabeça ainda um tanto atordoada pela imagem de um triste adeus e da visão do último vagão a desaparecer no meio da neblina, como se houvesse sido engolido pela mesma, naquela pálida manhã de Outono. Não vi a pessoa na qual esbarrei, derrubando uma quantidade de embrulhos pela calçada. Apressei-me a ajudar a minimizar o estrago que eu fizera, quase sem olhar para o rosto de quem agachara-se, ao mesmo tempo, dizendo que não havia problema, ante meus pedidos de desculpas. 

Quando levantei a cabeça e deparei-me com aqueles olhos tão verdes e cristalinos, pensei em como os deuses devem gostar de brincar comigo, provocando-me vezes e vezes, uma atrás da outra. Devo ter ficado por um tempo longo demais a olhar naquele par de fontes de água da cor da esmeralda, porque o sorriso que recebi, deixou-me um tanto sem jeito, ao perceber que poderia ter ultrapassado algum limite. Baixei os olhos, com a face totalmente ruborizada de vergonha, sentindo um imenso calor a subir-me, repentinamente, pelas orelhas, que deviam estar parecendo duas rodelas de tomates maduros.

- Não foi nada demais. Acontece… Obrigado por ajudar a recolher os pacotes.

- Era o mínimo que eu podia fazer, para compensar o estrago.

Minha voz soava estranha. Eu quase nem me reconhecia. Queria sumir, apesar de sentir um enorme magnetismo, como a controlar-me através aqueles olhos. A vergonha que eu sentia era grande e não deixava-me nem um pouco à vontade. O mais certo seria correr dali, mas algo lutava contra aquela intenção. Eu também sentia que desejava... e muito... ficar. Ele, então, surpreendeu-me ao fazer um convite que eu jamais esperava receber, naquela hora, de um completo estranho.

- Queres tomar um café comigo?

Devo ter feito uma cara muito estranha, porque ele riu.

***

Meus olhos pousaram nas sacolas, sobre a cadeira, que continham os embrulhos, que há poucos minutos estavam espalhados pela calçada, do lado de fora da estação. Ele notou minha curiosidade, mas não disse nada, até eu perguntar.

- São presentes para os teus filhos?

- São para meus sobrinhos... Não tenho filhos. Não sou casado.

Minha alma sorriu largamente. O canto da minha boca deve ter dado algum sinal. Ele riu e estendeu a mão.

- Meu nome é Dima.

Eu disse-lhe o meu. Ele olhou-me meio estranhamente, pela invulgaridade do nome, um tanto atípico e perguntou:

- Qual o significado?

- Do que?

Ele riu.

- Do teu nome.

Eu nunca havia pensado numa questão como aquela. Mesmo assim, fiz uma viagem rápida na memória e naquilo que conhecia sobre minhas origens, tentando chegar a alguma conclusão, mas não cheguei à praticamente nada. Na minha terra e na minha família, os nomes sempre foram dados por escolha e afinidade, não por significados. Que eu tivesse conhecimento, o meu havia sido escolhido aleatoriamente, sem critério nenhum, a não ser a inicial, que era igual àquela primeira letra do nome dos meus irmãos. Ele, então, explicou-me a razão da pergunta:

- O meu nome é uma homenagem à Deméter, a deusa. Dmitry. Dima. Eu gosto, porém, de usar um pseudônimo, em brincadeira com a pronúncia: Demon. Dá-me uma identidade pouco comum…

E riu com o canto da boca, levantando a sobrancelha direita, de uma maneira estranha, como eu não conseguiria fazer, por mais que tentasse. Aquela forma de levantar o sobrolho dava-lhe, mesmo, um aspeto que fazia jus ao codinome que escolhera. 

Se a vida fosse um filme, naquele momento, tocaria aquela dramática música incidental, que antecipa um grande suspense. Eu ri, internamente, daquele pensamento tolo. Para falar bem a verdade, já havia feito a associação, mentalmente, mas fingi sentir surpresa. Era apenas uma mentirinha branca, para não demonstrar o óbvio, nem parecer sagaz demais. Às vezes, é melhor passar-se uma impressão parva, para manter as expectativas em fogo brando. E além disso, eu queria que ele falasse mais sobre si.

- Demon… Interessante…

Ele olhou-me diretamente nos olhos e sorriu. Um pensamento invulgar ocorreu-me naquele instante e uma sensação estranha incomodou-me, como o picar de um dedo na roca de fiar ou num espinho de rosa. Algo arranhava-me o senso de coerência. 

Que estranho… Aquele sorriso pareceu-me quase impossível de resistir. Ele percebeu uma espécie de embaraço no meu jeito de olhar-lhe e voltou a abrir-me seu melhor sorriso.

- (Quem é esse homem, afinal?)

Aquele jovem demônio de pele pálida e olhos claros podia-me, facilmente, levar à tentação e eu sabia que seria difícil relutar.

- Tenho que ir. Obrigado pela companhia, mas tenho que ir…

Ele pegou um guardanapo de papel e rabiscou um número de telefone e um endereço eletrónico. Entregou-mos e estendeu a mão.

- Mantenha contacto. Até a próxima.

Levantou-se e saiu sem voltar-se. Ao passar pela janela, olhou para dentro e acenou-me, com um sorriso maroto. Eu sorri de volta. Minha mão pousava sobre o guardanapo de papel, como se tentasse manter um pedacinho dele junto de mim, ainda por um tempo… Talvez em vão…

Abanei a cabeça, levantei-me e saí. Era hora de voltar à vida.

***

- Pensei que não fosses ligar.

- Confesso que hesitei, mas resolvi, finalmente… e nem sei bem o que dizer.

- Convida-me para um café. Não precisas mais que isso…

Eu ri. Ele estava certo. Não havia motivo para usar nenhuma desculpa. É bom ser adulto e independente e não ter que dar contas do que se faz a ninguém.

Encontramo-nos no mesmo local da primeira vez. Ele já estava sentado à uma mesa, quando cheguei. Um largo sorriso e um aperto de mão receberam-me com algo mais que simpatia. Minha face ardia, como se estivesse com febre e eu sentia calor, apesar de estarmos no meio do inverno.  

- Vamos sair daqui e ir a algum lugar mais calmo. Eu tive uma ideia.

Ele conduziu-nos até uma praia. O mar estava calmo e o dia seco e limpo, apesar de a temperatura estar razoavelmente baixa. Saímos a caminhar pela areia, lado a lado, quase sem conversar, cada um mergulhado em seus próprios pensamentos. Às vezes parávamos para juntar uma concha, lançar uma pedra ao mar, ou observar as gaivotas voarem e as ondas a quebrar e arrastar-se até nossos pés. 

Os minutos pareceram voar. Logo o sol começou a descer e mergulhar lentamente na linha do horizonte. Ficamos lado a lado, em silêncio a sentir o ar esfriar e as cores do céu mudarem para os tons mais fortes das cores quentes.

- É bonito.

- Pois é…

Senti uma emoção estranha naquele momento, quando minha mão tocou na dele, quase acidentalmente. A praia estava deserta e quieta, ao contrário da minha mente.

- Vamos voltar? Estou com frio.

- OK. Vamos.

Já de volta, ao entrar no carro, esfreguei as mãos com energia. Havia arrefecido rapidamente, ou eu que estava com a temperatura do corpo completamente desregulada? Ou havia algo mais, por trás daquilo tudo, que minha mente sentia e que meu corpo indicava?

- Estás com esse frio todo? Queres que eu ligue o aquecimento?

- Não precisa… Logo passa…

- Ou queres que eu te ajude a aquecer de outra forma?

- Outra forma?

Ele riu novamente, com o canto da boca e a sobrancelha levantada, exibindo a mesma expressão facial que havia mostrado no dia que falou do invulgar pseudônimo que escolhera. Uma sensação estranha mexeu com meu estômago e eu esbocei um sorriso absolutamente sem graça.

- Não costumo deitar com demônios…menos, ainda, os meus...

Ele pousou a mão sobre a minha e disse, sério:

- Dormir com teus demónios é bem mais admissível do que deitar que com quem te trai a confiança...

Ele tinha razão. Levantei a cabeça e olhei-o nos olhos, quando ouvi-o continuar o pensamento.

- E algumas pessoas nem precisam vender a alma...

Suas pupilas dilataram, fixas no meu olhar. Minha garganta parecia ressecada e eu não conseguia desviar os olhos dos dele. Ele chegou mais perto. 

Eu gelei. Um arrepio correu-me pelo corpo. 

Eu parecia ter o corpo e a mente magnetizados e paralisados ou, então, talvez, completamente enfeitiçados e impedidos de reagir, contra uma espécie de poder, que emanava dele. Senti o calor de sua respiração na minha face. Fechei os olhos… e tremi de medo…


***

domingo, 14 de dezembro de 2014

Joel's Eyes (watercolour base study)



One more from the series: "EYES".

Outro da série: "Olhos".

sábado, 6 de dezembro de 2014

Diving Into the Waters of Oblivion (Watercolour Illustration)


Esta pintura foi inicialmente concebida para servir de ilustração ao poema "Oblivion".

This painting was conceived to be the illustration for the poem "Oblivion".

domingo, 30 de novembro de 2014

Blue Eyed Boy (illustration for Other Studies in Red & Blue)




This is an original concept for the short story, published last year: Other Studies in Red & Blue.

Este desenho foi originalmente produzido para os "Outros Estudos em Vermelho & Azul", que publiquei aqui, no último ano.

sábado, 22 de novembro de 2014

A Small Blue Bottle (Part 2 of 2: Ένα μικρό μπλε μπουκάλι (Éna mikró ble boukáli))





















I was amazed at how much my daughter had blossomed like a rare flower over a year’s time. She was a smart kid and her beauty was admired by everyone, to my own pride. Although she was already a young woman, to me she was still that little girl who dreamed of dragons… and she meant everything to me.

We had agreed that we would come back to that same place at the beginning of the following summer. She talked about the trip almost every day of the few weeks before our departure date, always full of detailed plans... and they were not just a few.

It was not yet noon when we reached the beach. As expected, she ran barefoot towards the sea, kicking the salty and fresh water. She was back to being my little girl, who had a huge fascination with the sea. I followed her, slowly, for I had no desire to run. On the shore, what I really liked was walking very slowly. I lost sight of her when she won the curve of the bay, but I knew where she was heading to. Before long I spotted the familiar silhouette, moving slowly ahead of me. I wondered why she was walking so slowly, but I soon realized the reason.

There was a young man sitting on a log on the beach. His eyes were as blue as the sky that opened above our heads and he was staring, very seriously, at a point beyond the horizon. His black straight hair was misaligned by the wind. He wore a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and his old jeans were wet up to the knees. The man, who had surely past his twenties, but was far from his thirty years of age, noticed our approaching, but did not move. My daughter clenched my hand when she realized that he was holding a small blue bottle in his left hand.

***

- Late last summer, I found it on the other side of the bay. I was hoping to find the owner, but did not know how to. I decided I should throw it back to the sea, where it belonged, anyway. I was sorry, but had no right to keep it with me. Maybe another one would be luckier than me somehow. But the poem was so beautiful, I hesitated...

- Poem?

- Yes.

I noticed the young woman’s cheeks blush as she looked away. I knew her quite well. That kind of reaction could only mean one thing. He could not disguise satisfactorily the interest he felt for her either. The conversation went on easily as if we were long-time acquaintances. We were sitting on the terrace of a small restaurant facing the sea and not far from our kitchenette, relaxing and sipping some drinks, while waiting for the food to be served. On the corner of the table, a blue bottle with an old piece of paper, rolled up inside, was the witness of that unpretentious encounter. I had invited him to have lunch with us, something I would never do if we were in a big city. There, in that small town, however, where everyone seemed to know each other, I believed that should be the most polite and harmless thing to do.

- I came back here after my University graduation. My father, a widower and old aged man, needed help and I decided to settle down around here for now, working in an office on the island. One day I will have my own, but I need experience and money to invest... This week-end we will have a Greek festival. The community maintains certain traditions. It will be fun – to say the least. You should come.

My daughter looked at me, smiling. It was evident that she had already made her decision. I smiled back. I winked and she smiled broadly. A Greek event... I thought of people dancing in the streets, broken dishes, good wine and lots of seafood...

- We will come.

He smiled in approval. She was radiant.

***

Songs by Nikos Vertis and Nikos Oikonomopoulos, Antonis Remos, Vasilis Karras, Paola, Giorgos Mazonakis, Pantelis Pantelidis, Melisses and many other Modern Greek singers played the night away in the main square speakers. The restaurants were open and the tables were placed outside. People were dressed in white and danced in the streets, which were closed to traffic. When they put Natasa Theodoridou’s most poignant song to play, the young man took my girl by the hand and asked her to dance right there in the middle of the street. Other couples did the same. I remembered that her mom loved that song.

"Να 'Σουν Θάλασσα, να μην σ'άλλαζα" (Na soun Thálassa, na min s' állaza) ... 'If you were the ocean, I would never change you'... said the singer, in a duet with Sarbel, with his deep voice and in perfect contrast with hers.

I felt a huge nostalgia and my eyes flooded with tears, remembering the last time we danced, exactly to that same song. I swallowed hard, trying to untie that knot that tightened my throat, but I could not. I sat down at an empty table, with my thoughts floating far away from there.

- They make such a beautiful couple...

I turned around to see who had spoken. A woman a little beyond her middle age, owner of one of the taverns attending the festival, was staring, dreamily, at the couples dancing in the street. Her attention was more focused on the young black haired man with tanned skin who was dancing with the pale faced brown-haired girl with the expressive green eyes.

- It is true...

I could have felt some sort of jealousy or any protective instinct, but it was not what was happening in my head at that moment. I looked at them and saw other people, from a nearly recent past. I was not delusional. It was like a strange haze that mingled nostalgia, memories, dreams and real life. In my view, she seemed to change into her mother, dancing with a man I knew very well... and he was not the same one I was watching at that moment. I had changed... and quite a lot... Basically, I was afraid that history somehow repeated itself...

In the Sirtaki, both the slow (argo) and the fast (grígoro) forms of the hassápiko are danced. The hassápiko is one of the best-known popular demonstrations in street festivals. At both ends of the long line of dancers, as they do not form a closed circle, the coryphées spin handkerchiefs in their free hands. According to the tradition, it is important not to let a hand be free, so to avoid it to be clasped by some tricky demon.

Typically, a large cluster is formed at the hottest hour of the evening, when the first chords of the Sirtaki of Zorba are heard, exactly as it was happening at that moment.

A young man with very light hair popped up from nowhere and pulled my daughter by the hand, followed by a stream of other hands, which began to form a long line of dancers in the middle of the avenue. Another string of people holding one another’s arms side by side was formed opposite to the first one. Our friend was at the end of that, but as he was a little distracted and let the handkerchief be taken by someone else, an older man hastened to take his place and the party continued as if nothing had happened. Our young friend frowned at first, but soon returned to his normal, once he was closer to the place where my girl was dancing and he apparently forgot what happened few seconds before. The crowd was rehearsing the steps popularized by Anthony Quinn, in the famous movie released in 1964. In a short time, everyone had followed perfectly, the traditional sequence, as a large group of ballet artists. Although for some of them it was the first time, for others it was another... and it was fun for both...

- Give food, drink and music to the Greeks and they will dance, happily, all night long.

- I see that is very true...

I agreed with the lady, who was still watching the crowd playing, with her eyes slightly distant, as if full of nostalgia. I wondered how much history would be hiding behind that tired and nostalgic look...

When the dance was over, my daughter dashed to meet me, panting and laughing, with her cheeks as rosy as a child’s. It was evident that she was enjoying herself so much. She sat down beside me and put her arm in mine, leaning her head on my shoulder. I rested mine over hers as we watched people passing by. Shortly after we saw the young man coming closer with two glasses of some drink in his hands. He sat down and offered one to the girl, who accepted, smiling. He also had his cheeks flushed by the heat and the dance.

- Let’s go to the Zorbás. There is live music and it is less hectic than the streets.

I was not too excited to be in a closed place, but given that my daughter was so excited to agree, I decided to join them. The Zorbás was located in one of the streets outside the hubbub of the festivity and, therefore, less crowded. I thought that would give us a momentary bit of peace. When we got in, however, the place was packed with people laughing and drinking. Some were dancing merrily, but most were only drinking and talking. There was a group on stage, playing modern music. I glanced around us trying to capture the details of the place. The décor was simple but quite interesting. Small framed pictures of landscapes and typical Greek themes hung upon the bare stone walls. Despite the low light, some strategic points over the tables and the bar, as well as on the stage, could be seen clearly enough. We were standing in the middle of the room, watching people moving about, dancing and drinking. The young man excused himself and left us. I assumed he had gone to fetch some other drink.

To my surprise, however, he, instead, sat on a tall stool in the centre of the stage and started to sing the first few bars of Thelo na me niosis. The song, originally played by Nikos Vertis, was being very well interpreted by our newest friend. I did not expect him to be so in tune and to have such a clear voice. The other musicians seemed to know him well by the way they treated him. He could not take his eyes off my daughter, while singing, as if doing it only for her.


- Να 'ξερες τα βράδια πως μισώ
Που με τιμωρούν που σε 'χω χάσει
Θέλω να σε δω το ομολογώ
Άλλη τέτοια νύχτα ας μη περάσει

*(Na 'xeres ta vrádia po̱s misó̱
Pou me timo̱roún pou se 'cho̱ chásei
Thélo̱ na se do̱ to omologó̱
Álli̱ tétoia nýchta as mi̱ perásei)*

- Do you know the meaning of those verses?

- Not really. It seems to be a very sad song, but nonetheless very beautiful and touching...

- It's a love song, stating the agony two lovers feel when they leave each other, especially when the night comes. You are right. It's romantic and sad at the same time.

- Yeah...

***

* If you knew how I hate the night
  Because I am punished for losing you
  I admit I want to see you
  And I do not want to spend another night like this...

***

Apparently she had all her attention directed to the singer and smiled, blushing lightly. I had the impression that my vacation that summer would be in some ways more solitary that it had been in years. I realized that I was not really worried when that thought formed in my mind. When the performance ended, he joined us again, smiling. My girl greeted him with a hug and, consequently, with a tender kiss. I saw that I was being one too much into that scene and decided it was my time to leave. She looked radiant and, strange as it may seem, it made me happy. I apologized and left. At the exit door, I bumped into a guy with very fair hair, who rushed in visibly drunk.

***

A few hours later, I woke up in the middle of the night, totally confused by the sounds of sirens and people outcry, outside the condominium where the kitchenette was. I only realized what was happening when my daughter came in, sobbing and with her blouse covered by a large stain of blood. I panicked immediately, but she was not hurt. The blood wasn't hers.

A policeman, who brought her in, told me what had happened, since the girl seemed to be in a complete state of shock. A young man with very light hair and visibly drunk entered the Zorbás and tried to pull the girl to dance, but she had refused, being defended by her partner at that moment. The other did not take rejection well and tried to fight with our friend, who punched him and left, before causing a worse damage. At the door, he called the security guards to take control of the situation, while the other man screamed for revenge.

When they were coming back home some hours later, the blond boy, who had followed them, unseen, pulled a knife and stabbed the back of my son-in-law to be, a couple of times. He ran away when my daughter cried, desperately, for help. The wounds were so deep, he could not resist until the arrival of the ambulance and died on the spot, with his lungs pierced by the long and sharp blade. It was all very quick. A real tragedy, on a day that was so special for the young couple. We were all absolutely horrified and disgusted.

***

- Why, Dad? Why can life be so cruel?

- I don’t know, my sweetie...I don't really know...

We both cried like two children, holding each other and getting comfort for the happenings both in the recent and the distant past. The story, which had repeated itself, had the malice of demons who take our hands when the handkerchiefs inadvertently are dropped off of them.

***

We avoided coming back to that place for more than three years after the tragic accident. At her insistence, however, we decided to go back there in the early summer of the fourth year.

As soon as I stopped the car on the beach, already known to us, the dark haired little boy, who had fair skin and eyes as blue as the sky that opened above our heads, leaped off impatiently, running barefoot on the beach, like the son of a fisherman. He was about three years old and it was his first contact with the sea. Upon reaching the edge of the water, he stopped, stepped a little backwards, turned around, looked at us and then ran towards the waves breaking nearby. He laughed happily while jumping over the waves, soaking his whole outfit without any concerns. His mother smiled, completely amused, in spite of the sad look in her eyes.

- That is definitely my son...

- Without a doubt. My grandson has a very strong affinity with the great dragon...

She smiled, but I realized that a stubborn tear slipped down her cheek, from the corner of her eye.

The boy ran around the edge of the water and disappeared in the curve of the bay. Minutes later, he came back bringing a blue bottle in one hand and an old parchment, tied with a red line, in the other. He said he had found the bottle on the beach, half buried in the sand, near a fallen log. The manuscript contained a little poem handwritten in a calligraphy we both knew very well.

"When you see me,
You will know who I am,
Just by the way I look at you.
If you hesitate
To approach me,
Think I have waited
Too long
For this meeting
And I can wait no longer
Anymore...
If you embrace me,
Make it entirely,
As if our bodies
Were just one.
And when you kiss me,
Then,
Do it as if it is a last one,
Even if it is the first,
For the first,
May well be,
Also,
The very last one. "