13. LAND OF LEGEND
THIRTEEN
LAND OF LEGEND
Orla’s enthusiasm for the cruise had waned a little ever since she met someone called Ricky, who owned and drove a large articulated truck all over the country. If he could handle one of those enormous monsters, Tess thought, he could probably handle Orla. This Ricky delivered anything and everything everywhere so found it difficult, he said, to form lasting relationships. Orla was keen to rectify this.
‘He’s so nice,’ she told Tess, ‘and he’s offered me a lift anywhere I want to go. Sometimes he even goes across to Ireland, so wouldn’t it be great to go over to see my brother? And, after we get back from the cruise, he’s going to drop me off in Birmingham for a couple of days while he goes up north somewhere, and he’ll pick me up again on the way back. Maeve lives in Birmingham now, so I could spend a couple of days with her.’
‘Well, that’s fine,’ Tess said, ‘but you never know who you might meet on this cruise.’
‘But I don’t really want to leave him,’ Orla moaned.
‘Surely he could come too, if he wanted to? You met him via MMM, didn’t you? ’
‘Oh, he can’t take much time off because he works for himself, and he has contracts all over the place to deliver this and that.’
Tess was getting worried that Orla might pull out. ‘But since he’s away so much of the time,’ she said, ‘you’d probably only be seeing him for a couple of days in the time we’re away. Won’t do him any harm and, if you’ll forgive the cliché, absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that.’
Orla looked doubtful. ‘I hope so.’
‘And here’s another cliché – there’s plenty more fish in the sea, as you’re forever telling me. It’s Ricky who should be worried about you swanning off round the Greek islands with a boatful of old singletons all hoping to find a partner.’
‘He’s not the jealous type.’
‘Because you haven’t made him jealous yet. You’re there, all ready and waiting, when he comes home.’
‘I suppose you’re right.’
‘Of course I’m right, Orla! Don’t let him take you for granted.’
‘Hmm, OK. So, to change the subject, do you think I should take my bikini?’
Tess stopped in the middle of hand-stitching a hem and stared at Orla in horror. ‘Orla, you’re sixty-three!’
‘I know how old I am!’ Orla snapped.
‘And you’re overweight!’
‘Well, thank you very much for pointing that out!’
‘It’s the truth!’ Tess said. ‘You gave up on Slim Chance because Paul or someone said they liked larger ladies. That doesn’t mean they’d want to see you prancing around in a bikini! Come on, Orla, very few women our age can get away with wearing a bikini. You have to be slim and toned, or Helen Mirren.’
‘What about shorts then?’
‘Well, I’m not wearing them because my thighs still leave a lot to be desired. But you wear shorts if you want to, so long as they’re not short shorts.’
‘Have you finished lecturing me?’
‘I’m not lecturing you! I just want you to look nice. And you did ask!’
Tess worked well into the night during the week prior to their departure. She had several large outfits to finish off, and she had Amber’s wedding dress to tack together, ready for a final fitting. And then there was Ellie’s dress. Ellie had finally accepted the idea that the dress had to be cream, because Amber didn’t like pink. Somehow or the other Tess had to get that little dress finished too before she went away. Then, hopefully, she’d only have to finish off Amber’s dress when she got back.
Amber came for her fitting two days before Tess went away.
‘You look tired, Mum.’
‘I am tired. But I just need to get on top of everything before I leave. Then I shall rest and relax for a whole week.’
‘Sounds good. Just be careful not to put the weight back on with all that wine, all that baklava.’
The more Tess thought about it, the more she prayed for a restful time. She sincerely hoped they weren’t going to be organised into groups to play stupid games or, heaven forbid, bingo. She’d heard about these singles’ holidays before and had sworn to give them a wide berth. She could only hope that MMM, with its mature clientele, would be a little more sophisticated.
Orla offered to drive to Gatwick, and they’d share the cost of the car park. The flight departed at 2p.m. and they’d been advised to arrive around midday. Orla, with her Mini, was a fast driver but, as usual, the M25 was manic and the M23 not much better.
‘Where the hell are they all going ?’ Orla ranted at no one in particular, as she braked yet again, staring in fury at the sea of red lights ahead.
‘Probably Greece.’
‘It’s not as if it’s the bloody rush hour!’ Orla went on.
‘No, but it is Friday and lots of people are on the move. It’s holiday time, in case you’ve forgotten.’
By the time they got to the car park and then the terminal, they were both severely stressed. Diet or no diet, Tess decided, I’m going to be having a stiff drink if we get to the departures lounge on time. When they finally got through security there were only minutes to spare and, by the time they’d bought some bottled water and newspapers, the flight was on final call. Tess’s stiff drink had to wait.
She and Orla had aisle seats across from each other. The ancient couple seated between Tess and the window on her side of the aisle – who were obviously not MMM hopefuls – appeared to have brought their lunch with them, as they happily opened up Tupperware boxes of pies, pastries and a very yellow cake, plus cling-film-wrapped packages, scattering crumbs everywhere .
‘We had a flask of tea,’ the old man told Tess, ‘but they wouldn’t let us take it through. We don’t like the stuff they give you on these flights.’
Tess, who’d had nothing to eat since a couple of slices of toast at breakfast, was beginning to wish she’d got some Tupperware boxes too. While she waited for her meal she treated herself to a gin and tonic, as did Orla, who’d wasted no time getting into conversation with the man seated next to her.
‘He’s a “heart”!’ Orla muttered to Tess, leaning across the aisle. ‘He’s going on the cruise and he’s not bad .’
‘Are you telling me you fancy him?’ Tess murmured back.
‘No, I’m thinking he’d be good for you. He’s a craftsman, a furniture maker.’
‘What do I want with a furniture maker? I’ve got plenty of furniture.’
‘No, no, Tess! What I mean is that he’s creative ! And you’re creative!’
Tess tried to get a look at him. Was he shaven or bald? Whatever he was, his head was gleaming in the afternoon sunshine that was streaming in through the window.
‘I’ll reserve judgement,’ Tess said.
Athens was two hours ahead of British Summer Time, meaning that it was nearly nine o’clock and dark by the time they reached the hotel MMM had booked them into for one night. There was a bar and a pool, and the twin-bed room was basic but clean. In the bathroom was that inevitable notice asking you not to flush any paper down the loo, but to deposit it in the bin supplied below, indicated by an arrow.
‘Do you know, I came to Greece when I was nineteen and this loo paper business was the same then. Wouldn’t you have thought they’d have got their sewage systems sorted out by now?’ Orla grumbled.
‘You would,’ Tess agreed, kicking off her sandals as she opened her suitcase.
‘So let’s go down to the bar for a nightcap. Time we had an ouzo. What say you?’
‘I say that’s a very fine idea, Orla,’ Tess replied.
The bar was dimly lit and very busy. They took their ouzos out onto the small terrace by the pool in the hope of finding some cooler air, and had hardly had a sip when the furniture maker and his friend, a nervous-looking little guy, appeared.
‘Orla!’ he exclaimed.
‘Alan!’ Orla waved her arm towards Tess. ‘This is my friend, Tess.’
‘Pleased to meet you, Tess,’ he said. ‘And this is a mate of mine, Barry.’
Alan of the gleaming head was of medium height and stocky build. He had blue eyes and several chins, but wasn’t bad-looking. He wore a blue shirt which, Tess noted, exactly matched his eyes. The shirt was unbuttoned almost to the waist where, on display amid his luxuriant grey chest hair, was nestled an assortment of silver chains and medallions. He also had several large rings adorning his large hands, and an earring in one ear. Poor old Barry was thin and grey-haired with a buttoned-up shirt and no ornamentation whatsoever .
‘I was telling Tess you’re a craftsman and make furniture,’ Orla said to Alan. ‘Tess is a dressmaker so you probably have lots in common.’
Tess and Alan surveyed each other in bewilderment.
‘What I mean is,’ Orla went on, ‘you both have to take bits of stuff and put them together to make something recognisable. And beautiful, of course.’
‘Well, that’s one way of looking at it,’ Alan said, grinning at Tess.
‘I can always lend you some scissors,’ Tess joked.
‘And you can borrow any of my saws any time, provided you don’t wreck them hacking through all those silks and satins.’
Tess laughed. ‘I’ll bear it in mind.’ At least he has a sense of humour, she thought. Pity about all the silverware.
‘So,’ said Orla, ‘we’re all going to be cruising tomorrow. But we thought we could squeeze in a quick visit to the Parthenon in the morning before we leave.’
Barry nodded but said nothing.
‘Are you two friends?’ Tess asked.
‘Yeah, we’ve known each other for years,’ Alan replied. ‘We’ve just paired up ’cos Barry here wants to see all these old ruins and things. And I’m just after a bit of sun, on that cruise boat, what’s it called?’
‘The White Rose ,’ Barry confirmed.
‘Funny old name for a ship,’ Alan said.
‘Like “The White Rose of Athens”, I expect,’ Tess said. ‘Nana Mouskouri sang it years ago. Lovely song.’
‘Talking of Greek warblers,’ said Orla, ‘does anyone remember Demis Roussos? ’
Alan groaned. ‘That big bloke in a frock?’
‘It was a kaftan,’ Orla corrected. ‘And he was lovely.’
‘If you fancy that type you might as well hang around Athens,’ Alan joked, ‘and save yourself the price of the cruise.’
‘Good idea!’ said Orla, ‘but I have to keep an eye on Tess here. She’s bound to go off the rails if I’m not around to keep her in check.’
‘Are you planning to go off the rails, Tess?’ Alan asked, grinning. ‘Let me know if you do!’
Tess laughed. ‘I shall try to stay on track!’
Barry smiled, nodded and said very little. They downed another ouzo before Tess yawned and said, ‘Well, I’m turning in. It’s been a long day and I’m knackered.’
‘We must be getting old,’ Alan moaned. ‘A few years back we’d all have been looking for discos and nightclubs!’
‘Not tonight,’ Orla confirmed. ‘Hey look, Barry’s asleep!’
Barry’s head had dropped forward and he was emitting soft snores. Alan shook him gently, causing poor Barry to jump and to start apologising in what was definitely a Scouse accent. It was the most he’d said all evening.
When they got back to their room, Orla asked, ‘What did you think of Alan?’
‘He’s all right,’ Tess replied. ‘And he’s got a good sense of humour. But just imagine being crushed up against all that silverware on his manly chest!’
‘Yeah, it must cost an awful lot of money to look that cheap!’ Orla retorted.
‘And what about Barry?’ Tess asked .
Orla pulled a face. ‘Can’t imagine what he’s doing here.’
‘He’s probably just very shy,’ Tess said. ‘And, let’s face it, he didn’t get a chance to say much with Alan doing all the talking. Anyway, we can share a taxi to go to the Parthenon with them in the morning, and then we can probably lose them on board the boat.’
Tess slept deeply but not for long. Wide awake at 6a.m., she then gave up on the idea of further sleep, got up and quietly opened the French doors, discovering a tiny balcony filled to capacity with two plastic garden chairs. They were several floors above a long, narrow street full of parked cars and shuttered houses. Water bottle in hand, Tess sat down on a chair and stared across at one of the shuttered windows opposite. It was already very warm. Tonight they’d be on the White Rose , somewhere out at sea, and heading for their first port of call, Mykonos. She decided it didn’t matter if she didn’t fancy anyone on board because she’d enjoy briefly exploring those beautiful islands and, in between, she’d relax and work on her tan. She wondered briefly if she and David would have been sailing on the White Rose . This was not how she’d imagined arriving in Greece. But she must put the past behind her and, even if she never found her soulmate, at least she could arrive at Amber’s wedding with a healthy golden glow. But keeping slim was definitely going to be the biggest challenge during the coming week.
‘What are you doing out there?’ a sleepy-voiced Orla asked.
‘Daydreaming. ’
‘It’s only half past six, not properly daytime yet.’
‘I know, but I couldn’t sleep.’
Orla eased herself out of bed and tottered towards the open windows. ‘Is there a stunning view of the Acropolis?’
‘No such luck,’ Tess replied. ‘Only a stunning view of loads of parked cars and a heap of washing strung out on the balcony opposite.’
‘They certainly haven’t gone overboard – if you’ll forgive the pun – to find us a luxury hotel. But I suppose we’ve got what we paid for, because I asked for a budget hotel in Athens. Alan was saying that, apparently, there was the option of flying out this morning and going straight to Piraeus. But then we wouldn’t have seen anything of Athens.’
‘Let’s make the most of it then. What time’s breakfast?’
‘The blurb here says from 7a.m., so that just gives us time to get beautiful!’
Breakfast consisted of the usual continental line-up of cereals, fruits, yoghurts and rolls. Orla reckoned the rolls had been dug up with other archaeological treasures from ancient Greece, and so Tess decided to stick with yoghurt, honey and some melon, hoping that wasn’t asking for tummy trouble later in the day.
As they were drinking their second cups of coffee, Alan and Barry walked into the restaurant. Both were clad in T-shirts and shorts; Alan had replaced the medallions with a heavy silver chain choker, while Barry was unadorned and looked decidedly sleepy. In contrast to Alan’s flip-flops, Barry wore socks and trainers on the end of his stick-thin legs, and carried a little rucksack.
‘Thought we’d better get up early,’ Alan said cheerfully, ‘before it gets too hot. And we’re going to have to be back here by lunchtime to get our stuff and head for the boat.’
‘We thought the same,’ said Orla. ‘How about we share a taxi to the Parthenon?’
‘Good idea.’ Alan turned to Barry. ‘That OK with you?’
‘Yeah, but I have a load of pills to take first. They’re in the room.’
No one dared ask what sort of pills they were or what problems he might have. They just nodded.
Bathed in golden sunshine, the ancient columns of the Parthenon stood proudly on the rocky outcrop that overlooked the city. It was the scene of countless postcards and travel programmes, but it still gave Tess goosebumps when she first saw it, and thought of all the centuries it had survived and the generations of people who’d strolled through these ancient columns.
‘Nice to find something older than us!’ Orla joked.
‘It was completed in 438 bc and dedicated to the goddess Athena,’ said Barry, ‘which is where Athens gets its name from.’
The other three all turned round to look at him in amazement. Not only did he not have a guidebook, but it was the most any of them had heard him speak.
‘You’re very knowledgeable, Barry,’ Tess said admiringly.
‘I just like history,’ said Barry.
‘Blimey!’ said Alan .
‘It’s the most important surviving building of classical Greece,’ Barry continued, unfazed. ‘In fact, it’s one of the greatest classical monuments in the world.’
They digested this for a few moments before Tess asked, ‘What exactly is the Acropolis?’
‘An acropolis,’ Barry explained, ‘was a settlement in ancient Greece, or a citadel, built in an elevated position for reasons of defence. This one contains the remains of several ancient buildings, the Parthenon being the most famous.’
‘I’m glad you came along!’ Alan joked.
‘I’m very glad you did,’ Tess said. ‘It’s so nice to be with someone who knows their stuff. I shall be sticking close to you, Barry, when we visit some of these ancient ruins in the coming week.’
‘It’s just that I like history,’ Barry said, blushing furiously. He made a few comments about Doric columns and then lapsed back into silence, as they stood taking photographs and marvelling at the magnificent view over the city.
What a nice man, Tess thought. He only seemed to emerge from his shell when surrounded by the ancient history that he loved so much. She wondered why on earth he’d come on a singles’ cruise; was he really looking for a girlfriend? He was naturally so nervous and quiet that it must have been a real effort for him to join a group like this. She’d love to find out, and she decided that she would. He might not be a likely candidate for her longed-for soulmate, but he was certainly interesting.
There was a crowd of people waiting for taxis. Orla and Alan had got into the queue and were wildly gesticulating for Tess to do the same. Tess looked round to see where Barry had got to and finally spotted him, some fifty yards back, beckoning. He’d grabbed a taxi before it got to the rank.
‘Come on!’ Tess yelled at the other two. There was a lot of derogatory shouting from the patiently waiting queue.
‘We’re none too popular,’ Orla remarked breathlessly, as they rushed back to Barry and his taxi.
‘You’ve got to be ahead of the game,’ Barry said quietly.
This little man was full of surprises.