Excerpt
“Yes, Mother, but I’m only going away for a while; do not forget
that.”
Maria smiled and added, “Of course, my boy, you will return.
But remember, you must write home frequently, so we can find out
how your studies are going.”
“You guys think as if I am going to forget completely where I
come from. Don’t worry yourselves with that.”
His father cut in, “Son, you are an adult, but I want you to be
very careful in the foreign country you are headed; we, your mother
and father, uncle and auntie, or friends, will not be there. There are
a lot of dangers over there, and you might get into a lot of trouble.
Have your eyes and ears open, be careful in a foreign place. You are
responsible for yourself.”
The old man’s voice became hoarse. Hermes looked at his dad
with surprise in his eyes: tears flowed freely down the old man’s
cheeks. Yet this time, George Dragakis didn’t even care to hide his
feelings from the rest of the family. Hermes went to his father and
gave him a big hug.
“Do not worry. I know where I’m going, and I know what I’m
there for. My only concern is to finish my schooling and return home
to find you all. Do not worry. Nothing will distract me from my goal.”
Hermes’s voice had so much certainty as it was heard that all those
present felt positively about his voyage.
“What about Magda, my boy?” his aunt asked.
“Magdalene and I are going to be in touch, and I hope to see her
when I come back. She told me she might even come and visit me in
Vancouver next summer. I look forward to that, really. I like this girl
a lot.”
His mother and father heard these words and felt a bit relieved,
although they’d prefer if he didn’t go away at all.
George got up to go to the bathroom, and Hermes could
hear the old man blowing his nose. Then Hermes went to the bar
and poured a drink for himself. He asked if anybody would like to
have one, but they all declined.
Manolis Aligizakis 