Son of Sofia Page #3

to endure pain and hardship,

hunger, thirst, cold,

fatigue, and lack of sleep.

They were only taught the basics

of reading and writing.

Their allegiance to their country

was fierce,

to the point of self-sacrifice.

When a mother saw her son off to war,

she always told him to fight bravely,

honor his armor

and die for his country, if necessary.

Calm down, Vera!

Vera...

We need a doctor! Is there a doctor?

She just passed out.

She's 5 months pregnant!

You think she'll lose the baby

at her dad's funeral?

No, she won't!

We only watched it a few months ago,

don't you remember?

Are you asleep?

I forgot to tell you about the show.

I'd only seen that one episode,

at Nina's house.

I'm going to bed. Goodnight.

Those were the days, my friend

We thought they'd never end

We'd sing and dance

Forever and a day

We'd live the life we choose

We'd fight and never lose

For we were young

And sure to have our way

Thank you!

Happy birthday, Misha!

Let pedestrians run oddly

on the street by the puddles

And the asphalt is flooded by rain

They cannot understand,

that this day is not simple

And why I'm so happy today

And I'm playing the accordion

And all the people gaze at me

Such a pity, birthday parties

Are only once a year

What do we say?

Thank you.

Long live Michael

And happy birthday

May you grow old

With white hair

Can we get a picture together later?

For my mum!

It's so hot, where's my fan!

I won't eat now.

I'll take the food to go.

- Are you eating?

- No way!

How about you?

Are you eating?

She wants to know if you're eating.

He's learning, eh?

I'm doing my best.

Where did he run off to

when you were on TV?

I sent him out

for a newspaper and he got lost.

Sofia must have been in agony?

Mr. Nikos, what's wrong?

Help! Somebody help!

We need a doctor! Is there a doctor?

For real!

We need an ambulance!

Something's wrong!

Somebody call a doctor!

Is he going to die?

Maybe.

Will you be sad if he does?

Yes.

Do you love him?

In my own way.

Like you loved dad?

That was different.

Grandpa Earth

Armed Forces Television

presents a children's show

by Nikolaos Benakis

GRANDPA EARTH:

Good evening.

When was this made?

The tape is in pretty good shape

for its age.

What is he talking about?

Got any more?

Yes. What is he talking about?

It's kind of like... parenting advice.

"The hero does things

he never knew he could.

"He slays dragons and solves riddles,

"until he can rescue

the fair princess and marry her."

"So the fairy tale implies

that it's not the father

"who stands between the boy

and his mother, it's the dragon!"

"The boy doesn't really want

the mother."

Grandpa!

Tell me a story!

Fast-forward it.

Press play!

He encounters a terrible dragon!

The dragon fed daily on young damsels.

F***ing hell!

He plays all the parts himself.

He changes costumes

and alters his voice.

He was a knight earlier,

and then a dragon.

Now he's the princess.

The king said, "Whoever kills the dragon

"will have the maiden's hand

in marriage."

Now he's reading fan mail.

He says it's from 8-year-old Sofia

from Karditsa.

"Dear Mr. Nikos,

"I'd love a rerun

"of Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

"And I'd like you to tell Santa Claus

"to bring me a bear for Christmas."

Can you imagine this guy

in a bear costume?

As soon as the baby was born,

the father would take it

to the Elders for inspection.

If they found it was deformed or weakly,

they'd throw it in the chasm

of a nearby mountain.

Otherwise, they would return it

to its mother.

When the child turned 7,

it was taken and given to the state.

A rigorous discipline and military-type

education commenced,

lasting twelve years.

So when a mother saw her son

off to war,

she always reminded him

to fight bravely,

honor his armor,

and die for his country, if necessary.

We're home!

Misha, we're home!

Will you close the door?

Let your hair down!

You don't look like my mum.

But it's too hot.

Now we look more alike.

No matter what you do,

you still look like your dad.

That's us in the back!

I think I saw you.

You're in the back, right-hand corner.

Can you see?

Yes.

A doctor!

Is there a doctor in the house?

Yes, right here!

Are you married?

That's it!

I wonder what happens next!

Mr. Nikos is an old pro!

A real veteran.

He was not bad.

I heard the screenwriter

was pretty upset about the stroke.

He'll have to write him

out of the story.

Little Michael is starting

to look a bit like him.

You can tell he's Mr. Nikos' son.

Maybe...

Why have you left the shutters open?

It's so hot!

I told Andreas we need air conditioning.

- Do you have AC?

- Only in the bedroom.

- Not the living room, huh?

- No.

Doesn't little Michael get hot?

Don't you get hot?

In your country,

you're not used to this kind of weather!

He hasn't said anything.

Did you go to the Olympics at all?

Mr. Nikos took Misha

to the shooting range.

He'd gotten tickets

to a swim event, too.

We're doing well

in the medals department!

It's dripping.

Are you Russian, too?

No, I was born here.

But my parents are Georgian.

Oh well, Russia, Georgia, Ukraine,

same difference!

Are you married?

No.

I hope you find a nice man,

like Sofia found Mr. Nikos.

Thank you.

And have kids.

Sofia got lucky, people like Mr. Nikos

are rare nowadays.

He even signed over the house,

didn't he Sofia?

Not to me.

To Misha.

Is little Michael going to school

in September?

Yes.

- Will he go to a Greek school?

- Yes.

What grade?

I'm not sure. Nikos handled that.

Yes, he told us he was tutoring him.

How far along were they in history?

I can't really say.

- Geography?

- They studied it while I was at work.

I'll just ask Michael, then!

Michael?

How far have you gotten

with history and geography?

Do you understand me?

Are you hot?

Yes, aren't you?

Yes.

The iron is only making it worse.

Maybe I won't iron Nikos' clothes.

Who's going to notice anyway?

You know what?

You could sleep in our bedroom

now that it's so hot.

Since we have air conditioning...

Rapunzel.

Once upon a time,

there were a man and a woman

who had long wished for a child.

When she turned 11,

a witch shut her up in a tower

with neither stairs nor door.

Just a little window near the top.

When the witch wanted to go up,

she stood beneath and cried:

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel,

let down your hair to me."

Rapunzel had magnificent long hair,

fine as spun gold."

Did you feed him?

Good!

Attaboy!

No, you don't have to do anything.

Get some rest.

Bye!

I love you.

"Dear Mr. Nikos,

"I live really far away,

but one day, I'll come find you.

"I told my mum, and we'll come together.

"We'll take the bus or the train.

"My mum is really pretty,

I bet you'll like her.

"You can marry her if you want

"and we can all be together forever.

"If it works out,

the three of us will be very happy.

"You will have

a young and beautiful wife,

"my mum will have a husband,

and I'll have a daddy!

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