Excerpt
He walked to the basement where he found Dylan still sitting on
his cot, cigarette in hand, the smell of smoke all over the stagnant
air of the room which Anton smelled and coughed. The old man
tried to stand up but he found his legs were weak and trembling.
He sat again on the cot.
“Good morning Dylan,” Anton greeted him “Are you not
okay? Did you sleep well?”
The old man looked at him with obvious tenderness which
was reflected in his voice, “I’m not that frisky today, and yes I
slept here, didn’t feel like walking back home.”
“I could have driven you home,” Anton pointed.
“No worries; I stay here most of the times especially in
the winter months when darkness comes early I just don’t bother
walking home.”
“I see; it’s all good then, but let me start the machines with
yesterday’s leftover clothes…”
“Good, very good,” Dylan said and didn’t make any effort
to get up from his cot.
Anton took care of the first business and when all the
leftover clothes were in the machines which had started their
humming noise, he remarked, “Do we have to go and collect
today’s clothes?”
“Yes, we shall do this in a while, after the first recess when
the kids get to the class. The maids will have gathered them by
then.”
Time passed. The children were guided to the eating
area where they had their porridge then they were led to their
classes. Anton and Dylan went back to the laundry where they
worked the machines; they also chit chatted until the first
recess was called. The kids walked out of the mausoleum to
the schoolyard. The leaves of the huge oaks and wild chestnut
Manolis Aligizakis 