Cryssarina’s First Visit - Part 4

This is the fourth part of a continuing tale. The first, second, and third parts need to be read before to better comprehend this one, perhaps the last. As reiterated, Anthi Psomiadou has graciously agreed to become a fictional character in this unusual visit by Cryssarina to Greece where she hopes to speak to Goddess Athena as well as find Patrick who may be alive and still afraid of flying roaches that abound in both warm and hot climates.

It was only her third night in Greece, Athens to be precise, and Cryssarina, with Anthi’s first-time’s-a-charm help, had already met Goddess Athena face to face and even was spoken to by her. It happened to both of them. Cryssarina could only imagine what Anthi must have felt seeing Athens’ most famous protector alive and well and speaking to them and to the point. Patrick was alive and with her. But what did she mean by Patrick was with her? wondered Cryssarina. Did he become her mortal husband instead of M? Did he fall in love with her when she came down from her statue to see him up close? Did he drop to his knees and kiss her feet? Did he propose to her right there? Who would have not, facing such a goddess? Cryssarina continued to wonder and wander through her memories of the past few days. Her first visit to Greece would surely not be her last.

Anthi called Cryssarina in the late morning to find out how she was feeling, knowing all too well what she felt in her heart. They were both feeling beside themselves. Cryssarina wanted to call her too but decided not to impose on her even more than she already had. Anthi had other obligations as we all do. Yet this was extraordinary in the extreme. Something unimaginable had just occurred to both of them. Everything else could only become secondary, or at least clouded, notwithstanding the bluest sky. Goddess Athena’s appearance or reappearance surpassed anything anyone could have expected from life. The implications were uncanny. Their lives had suddenly changed by several degrees of magnitude. Anthi and Cryssarina would never be the same. As for Patrick, they could only imagine what he had been up to since his arrival to Greece about a week before Cryssarina.

Anthi met Cryssarina at her hotel again. It was just before sunset, that special time when no one can argue about anything if looking at the setting Sun. They kissed each other on both cheeks, and as customary by now, Cryssarina’s second kiss lingered on Anthi’s right cheek. I am the narrator and I find it strange. I guess that I will have to ask Cryssarina about it at one point or other, or perhaps Anthi may know. I guess that she will let me know in a comment. She must have special cheeks or at least a singular one. They had agreed to meet at the hotel and take a taxi to Goddess Athena’s statue. It was just around seven o’clock when they arrived, or 7:05 to be precise. They again forgot to check the time. They approached Goddess Athena’s statue, looked at her with love and respect, and kissed her pillar a few times.

The evening felt Greek but not because they were in Greece. The evening felt Athenian but not on account of being in Athens. It felt Greek because Cryssarina also felt herself to be Greek. But she was not. She was a narrator in love with M who flew to Greece to bring back Patrick. But she was Greek, nonetheless. Goddess Athena had spoken to her in Greek and she understood every word inside her head. She became Greek at that moment through Goddess Athena’s words. She had made her an honorary Greek, which is unusual even under normal circumstances. She even went beyond it. She gave her a new name. It was a word that Cryssarina had dreamt about the previous night but did not understand to be her new appellation. Goddess Athena had renamed her. Cryssarina became Eléni, which could mean torch, light, and other similar words. It was strange. Everything about her visit had become unusual.

Anthi and Eléni, though Cryssarina did not know yet that she had been renamed, continued to watch Goddess Athena’s statue and kiss her pillar from time to time, leaving the occasional passerby a bit perplexed as to why they were kissing the pillar. Each of them — there were twelve — must have thought that it was for good luck. It was as well; one could surely surmise. At about the same time as the previous night, Goddess Athena floated down and stood before them, smiling this time. Geia, paidiá mou (Hello, my children)! O Pátrik eínai charoúmenos mazí mou (Patrick is happy with me). Me agapá kai ton agapó epísis (He loves me and I love him too). Allá échei mia xýlini kardiá (But he has a wooden heart). Boreí na ítan déntro se proigoúmeni zoí (He may have been a tree in a previous life). Óso gia tous dýo (As for you two), esý pou ti voíthises na me vrei (you who helped her find me), tha voithíso mia méra ótan ti chreiázeste (I will help one day when you need it), kai esý pou írthes na vreis ti néa mou agápi (and you who came to find my new love), tha metonomáso tin Éleni kai tha agapó pánta (I will rename Eléni and always love), afoú eísai méros tou Pátrik (since you are a part of Patrick). Anthi and Eléni wanted to kiss her in gratitude but she had already disappeared.

The taxi back to the hotel seemed to be flying this time. It was night, yet Anthi and Eléni saw a blue sky with white clouds shaped like tree leaves and hearts. Goddess Athena was wise, indeed. The Goddess of Wisdom had left them flabbergasted. What now? they both thought as if they became one mind. Anthi accompanied Eléni to her room where they sat speechless. Eléni broke the ice when she kissed Anthi on both cheeks, lingering this time on her left one. Anthi smiled to herself, finally understanding who Eléni really was. I guess that I need to write a fifth and last part.