Desperado Dale (Scenic Route to Paradise) (12 page)

A handful of those taken away to
Auschwitz
and some who escaped
beforehand, returned after the war.
Greece
was not a welcoming place in those post-war
years and so, most of the remnant Jews of the Ionian Isles left for greener
pastures. It was only recently a contingent of young professional Jews had
arrived and were living and working in the capital. Bethania had heard
promising rumors about these young people but she knew none of them personally.
She didn’t know of any of the originals, those from the pre-World War II days who
were still living on the islands. She was the last.

Originally, she had taken Sam under her
spiritual wing while he had given her a place to stay. Bethania already had a
little house only 3 kilometers south. According to Sam, it was too far and he
wanted to make her comfortable because she was old and she was wise and she was
Jewish like his own grandmother.

Sam’s lifestyle had been somewhat of an
embarrassment to his family even in this modern age of decadence. When it
crossed his mind to offer Bethania a room in the vast villa, Sam was being
pressed by guilt. Being both Greek and Jew, the double duty remorse pushed him
to the invitation and she accepted gladly. Afterward, Sam never regretted
including Bethania into his household. She was industrious and besides, the
villa owner never visited.

Sam was celibate but he hadn’t always been and
his ex was Jewish too. When vandals defaced some of the historic buildings in
the Jewish quarter, the Jews on the island took notice. One evening a week
later, a local lawyer with an obviously Judaic surname was severely beaten as
he walked from his office toward home.

Several ready-to-retire Kerkyrian Jews decided
to cut their losses by leaving for
Israel
. Their gentile friends reassured them that they
were safe on the island while
Israel
, on the other hand was daily threatened on every side... “
Israel
is surrounded and at
war... Stay!” But like salmon swimming to return, Jews sensed the pull of their
motherland to which they must respond. The anti-Semitism was only the last
argument failing to keep them away. Nowhere was safe for the Jews and yet,
Israel
seemed the safest and
who knew but their God might intervene on their behalf.

Every Jew felt the salmon like tug including
Bethania. Still, she tarried. In the meanwhile, young Jews began to rally about
her. Not the new professionals in
Kerkira
the capital who had recently resettled on the
isle but a rag-tag group of outcasts. Sometimes there would be as many as
twenty Jews and none over the age of 30 congregated at the villa. She had never
seen such a mixed-up bunch of people, especially Jewish people in all her 80
plus years. They were a creative, smart crowd; fearful and immoral as if raised
by a troop of monkeys. Each one without exception had a dysfunctional moral compass.
The old woman connected their amoral behavior to the missing generation of old
wise people.

So many adults and elderly Jews killed during
the last war
! The elderly Jewess ruminated. Their wisdom and prophetic insight;
their perseverance and knowledge to survive, gone without the full fruition
passed on to the children and grandchildren.

Bethania never had children...

‘Sing, O barren, You who have not borne! Break
forth into singing, and cry aloud, You who have not labored with child! For
more
are
the children of the desolate than the children of the married
woman," says the LORD.’

Making the promise her own, the old woman had
quoted that scripture many a time but lately she wondered at the original
intent or true meaning. After all, it was a futuristic promise described by the
Jewish prophet Isaiah and yet, the Jews or rather
Israel
was counted as the wife
of God. Who then was this barren woman? Bethania sensed that her many
complaints and questions regarding the eternal God would be answered... eventually.

It had been three days since, Sam and Dale had
decided on a plan to travel north to the mountainous area of Avliotes. Sam
would take goods to trade and then leave Dale in Evangelos before returning.

The western
shore
of
Kerkyra
had not only lovely beaches but also,
vineyards, orchards and rare dyes that came from shells collected several times
a year when storms washed them ashore. Although a smallish island, Kerkyra’s
native specialities were regionally distinct. In the far past, seasonally the
islanders ventured to barter their region’s wares and to trade for what they
lacked locally. Goods smuggled in from
Italy
and D’Almata were often found in the larger
coastal towns of northern Kerkyra, including the inland Avliotes. Besides the
plethora of olive groves, lumber and distinctive cheeses - all local products
that their southern brethren sought after when traveling the mountain roads
north, Avliotes’ specialty was their secret extraction method which produced a
coveted olive oil.

In the cab of a borrowed truck, Sam stocked
lunch, water and a tire pump. There were two pairs of new but cheap Chinese
made binoculars, a box of old candy - unopened and half a case of Moroccan
unfiltered cigarettes to be used for bribes, coming and going. Loaded in the back
for bartering and secured beneath a tarp were several bags of the purplish
shells, three dozen grapevine plantings, a half dozen cases of citrus fruit
recently traded from the south, four black trash bags filled with sweaters and
winter wear besides the two homeless children huddled together atop the trash
bags.

The Klein children, little girls not yet bat mitzvahed,
had been jostled between several homes in the area. Their nanny disappeared
with everything valuable, including their passports one day about a month after
her employers - the girls’ parents, failed to return. It was a holiday gone bad
for the family. Many attempts to locate the parents proved useless. Besides
speaking Greek, the children spoke English and French but shock and trauma left
them without sound reasoning to aid in their own deliverance. They had homes in
Paris
and
New York
but without the nanny’s
input the locals were stumped. No one wanted to consign them to the
authorities.

Privately, Bethania surmised that the parents
were either back in the states during the national attack or they were victims
of the rampant anti-Semitism that was plaguing all the civilized world at
present.

So, when Sam politely asked if there was
anything Bethania would like to send north for trade, she brought the children
forward.

“Samuel,” she began as Sam was obviously
hesitant and flustered by her request. “I hear there is a small orphanage
willing to take older children. Don’t you see how vulnerable they are here with
us? For Jews, it is becoming uncomfortable but for Jewish children it is
already dangerous!”

It wasn’t that Sam was opposed to the idea of
the children being placed in an orphanage. The idea was the perfect solution
but he personally didn’t want to be troubled by transporting them nor did he
want to be responsible for their well-being in the meantime. Bethania had no
plans of leaving the children to travel alone with Sam and Dale.

“
Ne
, don’t worry about a thing. I am
going... You don’t think I would let you place these darlings in a cesspool, an
orphanage or no? I must go and inspect this place,” she explained.

Sam’s face grew red with alarm. He sputtered, “Yaiyai!
It would be too much to ask of you... I will treat them as I would my own
siblings. I will do the inspection for you. You must stay and guard the goat!”
Sam did not want to take the children but taking the old woman seemed worse;
fraught with problematic situations at every crossroad.

No
, she already provided for the goat, the dogs
and the chickens too. “Besides, we will be back in a few days,” she said as she
threw a drawstring bag in with the children. “Now pull the canvas tight, it is
starting to rain,” she ordered. The men looked helplessly at one another and
did as Bethania bade while she climbed laboriously into the cab.
   
   
   

Chapter 20  Tina  

Although considered vintage, the
Serendipity
had exceptionally modern electronics. The previous owner had installed several
quality additions including the unconventional crows nest and a sizeable
refrigerated hold. The notebook size internet screen built into the
navigational controls was offline more than it was online. Periodically, news
and email could be downloaded.

Before dinner when Zeff had swapped with Junior
as watch, Zeff checked the screen and saw a message for Merry. Seldom did
anyone get a message. The internet reception was too erratic to receive or send
messages consistently. Communication, though infrequent was typically achieved
through the ship-to-shore radio. The sloop screen worked like a cell phone
face.

Combing his fingers through his hair, Zeff hit
‘receive’ and the full message popped up.

Guess who? It’s Tina Evangelos!

LOL!

We got word that Anna and Dale are on
the island. Is it true you are all headed for D’Almata? I want to go! But then
who would take care of the garden and my growing band of orphans? Yes, this
city girl has become a holistic gal  :)

BTW, I am so sorry for all that has
happened back in your beloved country. I know you Yanks have
your
issues
(don’t we all) but I loved my life there and I worry for my many friends and
family. No one seems to know how they are doing stateside. We get news
periodically but there is nothing specific. Let me know if you hear anything
about anyone we know in common, please.

According to my island friends, you
will be stopping here for a very short time? Is this true? I hope to see you as
I wish to catch up where we left off.

Let me know if this note makes it to
you… T.E.

Later reflecting on his behavior, Zeff wondered
at his decision to respond. He wrote:

Hello Tina. Merry is below making
dinner and because I am selfishly hungry, I will not disturb her now. Instead,
I will write a note to you and introduce myself.

Although Merry is married to the
Captain, Malak of D’Almata, I am first mate, Joseph Zeferano. My friends call
me Zeff. So please call me Zeff, as any friend of Merry’s is a special friend
of mine.

I joined the crew the day we set sail
from
Puerto Vallarta
,
Mexico
. It has been an unusual trip
at the very least. We have fought storms, pirates and most recently a demonic
tsunami. You must think I am kidding but there it is… These are strange times!

I see that we are still online. Take
advantage of that as we will probably lose the connection soon enough!

Please respond and let me know
something of yourself... Orphans? Are you a nun?

I have watch duty ahead for more than
three hours.

When Merry brings my meal topside I
will show her your message.

Your new friend - Zeff

As the sloop
drew closer to the Rock of Gibraltar,
Russian and Chinese military boats increased and the internet reception was continuous.
The possibility of being accosted by pirates grew less...

Zeff-

You went to ASU? My best friend from
Philly, her brother went to school there. Sadly, I haven’t heard from her or
any of her family since Christmas…

Tina…

I thought you were older from your
posts. Merry is your age too and she seems so mature, like you. The senoritas I
ran with in college were all drama. BTW, I am glad you are not a nun... Merry
says you have two orphans; twin boys that you took in when you returned to
Greece
last year.

Zeff,

You speak three languages (not
counting the language of love, lol)?!? I took Italian at university and I get a
chance to use it here on the island but I’m not fluent. Funny, but I dream in
both Greek and English…

You asked again about my orphans. Yes,
I have the twins... Click and Clack. They are four years old and extremely
sweet - thank the gods! But also, I have accumulated sixteen... yes, 16 other
children. I have some help from the community but people from all over the
island have abandoned these little cubs at my doorstep.

Tina,

When I asked Merry if you were really
as fat as you described she said, yes! “Tina is a chubby lady trapped in a very
athletic body… She eats like a horse!” Is it true?

Zeff!

You have so many questions! First, you
ask me about UFOs??? And now the old gods!

Yes, there are many people who
continue to worship the old gods - All twelve. Greek history is interwoven with
the Zeus and his cronies. The temples and ruins are everywhere on these
islands. Especially, on Kerkyra.