A Touch of Spice Page #3

then give it

to Fanis".

Grandpa...

This time I actually thought

he would come. I was certain.

What can we do?

That's how it is.

But you... have travelled the world

and you never went to see him.

Why my son?

Athens, 1964

Main Course

Who was it that taught you

about King Voulgaroktonos?

All the books write about him

and he ate yellow tail tuna.

- Where did you learn about tuna?

- ln Constantinople we had the best fish!

Sure, whenever the Bosporos overflooded

and the fish came through your windows!

- The fishermen brought us the best fish!

- So where are they now?

I forget, you forget,

he forgets...

We forget, You forget,

they forget...

- Hi, son...

- What's for lunch?

- Beans...

- Again?

Beans are full of vitamins.

Wash up, I have news for you.

- lf you don't wash, I won't tell you.

- My hands are clean.

We got a letter from Constantinople

and there's something in it for you.

In two weeks your

grandpa is coming.

"Dearest Fanis...

I miss you a lot"...

"Your grandpa said I'll go with

him when he goes to Greece".

"You'll cook for me

and I'll dance for you".

"Your friend, Saime."

The nutmeg does wonders for

the lmam, how come you added it?

That's for tomorrow.

Papa is fasting.

Then why did you

prepare it last night?

Holy...!

- Sultana, are you kidding?

- I had the eggplants in a bag!

Didn't you tell me that

Aunt Efterpi is a sleep walker?

Sleepwalking is hereditary.

You wake up and cook.

Good Lord...

But I never put

nutmeg in "lmam".

- It's the best lmam I've ever had.

- But I didn't cook it!!

Fanis, wake up...

- The plane will land any minute now.

- I'm not going.

How come? Don't you want to be

there to welcome your Grandpa?

I'll stay here

and help my aunties.

Tell me son... Where you

in the kitchen last night?

Grandpa will sit there... and his

friends... Better not there...

He will be facing the kitchen, here... no,

it will look like the Last Supper...

No, that is the best spot.

Nice, very nice...

They've arrived!

I can see him!

With our cuisine you always

feel that something is missing...

not from the food but from

those sitting around you.

On that day, both Grandpa

and I were absent from the table.

It's so strange, grandpa was

really looking forward to this trip.

Maybe the Turks held

him at the airport.

They held a friend in customs

for 3 hours interrogating him.

He had 12 kilos of pastourma

(Armenian pastrami) in his bag...

Was he Armenian?

- Actually, I think he was Jewish.

- But they don't eat pastrourma!

What does that have

to do with smuggling?

Hello... Father, are you alright?

What happened to you?

People from Constantinople have a habit of

slapping themselves on hearing bad news.

How did that happen?

He's coughing...

He doesn't sound well.

Take care of yourself...

What did he say?

He woke up

with a sore throat...

and he had a spot of diarrhea

and missed the flight.

He always had diarrhea,

his entire life was spent in the loo.

He was normal up until our

wedding, he'd only go twice a day.

Then, he started

to go more often.

With her cooking 6 times a day

what do you expect?

I think something's

wrong with papa.

- When will he come?

- As soon as he's well.

- And said to kiss the boy.

- Actually, where is Fanis?

My dear girlfriend.

I'm really sad today...

I was waiting for you

along with my grandpa.

I had cooked a nice dish for

you that you would have liked.

- Dear me, this is exceptional.

- The boy made it, he has talent.

- Educate him as a chef in France.

- His father won't have it.

- A 7 year old cooped up in a kitchen.

- All kids have hang-ups.

Why is it a hang-up?

The boy is just fine...

I'm not bothered that he cooks,

I'm concerned he cooks so well.

At his age, that is

definitely a quirk!

Evanthia's daughter did the same

and she's still in the asylum.

Dear God, don't

be telling me this...!

Sauces guide taste

towards exaggeration.

When people don't add sauces to food,

they "sauce up" conversations.

- Remember Evanthia's daughter?

- Of course, I remember!

At seven, she was the best

cook in the city!

She's still

in the asylum.

The priest said she was possessed.

Said the devil was cooking.

- My compliments, it's delicious.

- It's a specialty, our boy made it.

In our neighborhood there are

many Turks like you.

We aren't Turks, we are

Greeks of Constantinople.

My husband was deported,

we are Greek Orthodox.

Bring the boy for communion,

he will then stay on for catechism.

Fanis must get out of the kitchen.

Did our Lord Jesus cook?

Never, just now and again He

fended for bread and wine.

Shall I serve you

some more Father?

Your son is bright Mr. Iakovidis,

but I'm concerned about something.

His mind is elsewhere. He doesn't

follow the class, he's distracted.

Where does he

study at home?

In the kitchen...

We spend most of

our time there.

I think you must get

him out of there.

Food and aromas obstruct him

from adjusting to Greek life.

Do you know he

only plays with girls?

He sits in the middle and cooks

for them... Look, even now...

Give it here, now!

- I said, now!

- I don't want to!

Will you become a pansy?

Boys your age play other games.

I don't want other games.

Fanis, promise you'll play with

boys, look what I have for you!

- I don't like killing birds.

- But you'll kill your little "birdy"!

You're too young to "play" with girls.

Once you're old enough, I'll take you...

No, no, no!

From now on, nobody is allowed

in the kitchen, not even me...

only your mother,

understood?

My dearest girlfriend,

you haven't written in so long.

I received the postcards,

they are really nice...

My dearest girlfriend...

Time went by and friends and

relatives came from lstanbul...

bringing along

various news.

That year, uncle Emilios

brought us our first mixer.

Aunt Elpiniki was so happy

she also hugged the mixer...

and she therefore

relapsed into Parkinson's.

- Where is the boy?

- ln the bathroom.

It seems he's been

there a long time.

Since 2 years ago. He only

comes out to go to school.

He won't listen to us. Someone

needs to have a talk with him.

- Fanis son, how are you?

- I'm okey...

Grandpa told me to

send you his love...

and tell you that he'll soon

be here, no matter what.

I almost forgot, one day a

friend of yours came by...

- What was her name again?

- Saime...

Do you remember

her at all?

Does he remember?

She came by with her mother

to say goodbye to grandpa.

They left because her father now

work in Ankara. Didn't she write?

- She hasn't written for 2 years.

- And you still remember her?

Don't you like Greek girls?

His class is full of pretty

girls but he's stuck on her.

You have to forget her, get

her off your mind.

How long will you be stuck on

her? She's already forgotten you.

ATHENS - THESSALONlKl

lSTANBUL

There he is!

Where have you been?

Wake up and see

who's waiting for you.

Forced to deal with my fears, was

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes