Dark Odyssey Page #2

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Should I have taken him to

somebody else's house?

Stop laughing at me.

It isn't right

to do such things.

Mama, he's a relative

of a neighbor.

A neighbor we

don't even know.

And he's a sailor just

arrived from Greece

with no one

to turn to for help.

You're the one who's always

talking about Greek hospitality.

Well, now that

he's here,

why don't you act like a

young lady around the house?

Get him

some cognac.

I'm sorry I had to

leave you alone.

I had to help mama

in the kitchen.

(Yianni)

Oh, I've enjoyed it.

You have

a beautiful house.

Just another

apartment.

The city's

full of them.

It's a palace.

It's just like

everybody else has.

You're seeing it

at its best.

We've been

fixing it up.

All my mother's

relatives

are coming from Pittsburg

for the baptism.

In my village,

not even the richest man

would have a home

like this.

(door opens)

Hello, Nike

sweetie pie!

Your father

is home.

Hello, Papa.

This is

Yianni Martakis.

Welcome, welcome.

Yianni Martakis?

You are a Greek.

Yes, sir.

I just arrived.

You are

very welcome.

Come, daughter,

fill up the glasses

so we can drink to

the old country.

No, no.

I'll do it.

Go get

your mother.

Mama?

How do you like

America, young man?

Well, I've only been

here a short time.

All he's seen

is the A train, papa.

Great country.

Wonderful people,

just like Greeks.

Are you going to stay

here in America?

It's a big place.

There is lots of room.

I don't think that

will be possible.

A drink to your health,

Mr. Martakis.

And may all your wishes

come true in America.

Hey, hello,

George.

How are you?

Fine Tom, fine.

You look good.

Let me have

an ouzo.

When'd you get in?

Today... have any of

the other fellas been in?

You have

a new girl.

Hold the ice.

I see this place

is getting high-class.

You see this man?

I'm trying to find him.

Do you know him?

Do you ever see him?

No. What do you

want him for?

A friend of mine

wants to find him.

It's a long story, Tom.

I'll tell you about it

some other time.

I'm going to look

in some of the other places.

Well, when you find him,

come back here.

The place will be

a lot more lively then.

Here, have

another drink.

Can you keep this behind the

bar for me 'til I get back?

Give me

one more.

(Nike)

No, not for me.

I don't like it.

I think

it's terrible.

She's too American,

my little Nike sweetie pie.

Only a real Greek can

drink and enjoy wine.

To me, it tastes like

turpentine.

(papa laughs)

Excuse me.

What is a "sweetie pie"?

Oh, it means...

it means that my Nike,

she is so sweet

that you want

to gobble her up.

Papa.

Helen?

Hello, mama.

Hello, papa.

I didn't know we

were having company.

This is

Yianni Martakis.

I'm sorry

I was late.

We had to work

overtime.

You were with your

American boyfriend--

Maria.

Mama,

please don't.

Not before our

guest.

Excuse me.

I'll be

right back.

Why were

you so late?

They're furious

with you.

I had to

meet Jack.

We started talking and I didn't

realize how late it was.

Who's this Yianni?

I met him

at the store.

I think he's related to

some man down the street.

Coupas--

do you know him?

No. He's cute.

You kind of like

him, don't you?

Well, I just

met him!

You sure got him

here in a hurry.

Mom and Pop are pleased

with their Greek suitor.

Why don't you bring Jack

home so they can meet him?

Then they'll stop their

yelling and complaining.

Oh, no.

Well, it would be

better than this way.

Sneaking around, meeting in

cafeterias and movie lobbies.

Let them see

for themselves.

He's not a monster.

Jack is very touchy.

They wouldn't make him welcome

and he'd never come back.

But you got to face that

situation sometime.

I mean, if you're

really serious about him.

If you or I brought

home a man that wasn't Greek

they'd consider it a violation

of their territorial rights.

They'd take it

to the UN.

Oh, Helen.

I've heard them talk

about it for years.

"Marry a Greek boy.

Marry a Greek boy."

You're being

very silly.

Oh, no, I'm not.

"My little Nike

sweetie pie."

(papa)

Girls, your supper

is getting cold.

Look, Nike.

I'm sorry.

I'm awfully upset.

There's something I want

to talk to you about later.

It's important.

Jack wants us to go

out with him tomorrow.

All right, later.

(papa)

And I haven't been back

to the old country

since 1931.

Now your dinner

is all cold.

I've had all I want.

I'll just have some coffee.

Shall I help you

with the dishes?

(mama)

No, thank you.

You stay here

with your guest.

Maybe Yianni would like to see

the view from the roof.

We are right next to

George Washington Bridge.

It's one of the wonders

of the world.

Papa talks as if we owned it,

he's so proud of it.

You're very kind,

Mr. Vassos.

But I must go over and

see if Mr. Coupas is back.

(Nike)

Why don't you call?

I would like to

surprise him.

(papa)

Fine, fine.

But you'll come back here

if he isn't home.

(no sound

from buzzer)

(no sound

from buzzer)

(doorbell buzzes)

Are you from

the delicatessen?

Who are you?

You mustn't be

so upset.

You've got to remember he

doesn't know you're here.

How could he?

You wanted to surprise him,

so don't blame him

if he's out somewhere

having a big dinner.

Over this way,

Yianni.

We can see the

river from here.

New York's

a city on waters.

Isn't Greece surrounded

by water too?

Yes, but I come from the hills

where we only have streams.

My mother tells me the

sky is bluer there...

and at night

there are more stars.

But then she says,

"We don't see so many

stars in the sky here

because we have so

many of them on Earth".

Our stars are the lights and the

bridge and in the buildings.

Well, please don't feel

so bad about Mr. Coupas.

How did you know

what I was thinking?

Well, I didn't.

It's just that you

looked so bothered.

You're not thinking about

that silly argument

Mama and Helen

had at dinner?

Oh, that.

My mother used to say

that family quarrels

are just a test to show us how

much we really love each other.

Now I know

your family likes me.

Of course they

like you.

But still,

Mama and Helen

shouldn't have argued

that way in front of you.

I'm glad they did.

A family never argues

when a guest is present.

It made me feel like

one of them.

I'm so happy to hear

you say that, Yianni.

I must seem

very bold to you.

I suppose in your hometown

girls don't talk this way

to boys when

they're alone.

I've heard people

are different here.

You're different

too, Yianni.

I've met many people from Greece

and you're not like any of them.

I come from

the hills.

Life is very

hard there.

We don't have velvet

sofas or A trains.

I don't think

it's that.

In the mountains we have

to depend on ourselves.

Each one must go his

own way, be his own man.

I suppose so.

You're so quiet,

so thoughtful.

You never seem

to listen.

It's though you have

something on your mind.

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