Eléni’s First Visit - Part 7

This is the seventh part of the tale. I have not yet decided on the last. The first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth parts are all required to appreciate this continuing story, and each part is around a five-minute read. Both Anthi Psomiadou and R Tsambounieri Talarantas have graciously agreed to become fictional characters in this special visit by Eléni (formerly Cryssarina) to Greece, where she had hoped to speak to Goddess Athena and find the missing Patrick. The continuing story spans the rest of her two-week visit to beguiling blue-and-white Greece. We may never leave Greece. We? Read all about it!

Now that Eléni had spoken to Goddess Athena with Anthi’s help, and found me, Patrick, the narrator of her story from the beginning without her knowledge or yours (Goddess Athena works in mysterious ways), she decided to visit as much of Athens and the rest of Greece as she could in the ten days and ten nights that she had left before having to return to Canada and help M prepare to travel himself to Greece and become Greek as she now felt and was for all intents and purposes. A realization that she had made, also begged at least one answer. Why did all the gods and goddesses of Greece disappear for about 2,000 years? I asked Athena the question and several others but she smiled and spoke directly to my mind replying that only Zeus knows. I am hoping that Eléni can get an answer since I am somewhat afraid to meet Zeus and ask him. Who am I, even if his daughter loves me and I love her?

Eléni had another notable dream during her fourth night in Greece. She easily slept that night, having accomplished her mission in just a few days. She saw Anthi dressed in a beautiful blue dress, wearing a crown of silvery white flowers, and dancing with another woman that Eléni did not recognize. This other woman was dressed in a white almost see-through dress, also wearing a crown of flowers but hers were of several different colours. She also had a bird on her right shoulder which looked like a hawk or a falcon. It was not clear enough to determine. They kept dancing but Eléni could not hear any music, and the bird was looking right at her as if it wanted something. Eléni awoke at around 6 o’clock. I can tell you that it was 6:05. She was supposed to meet Anthi in the early afternoon but she could not wait.

She took care of the usual morning preparations and called her at 9 o’clock. You can already guess that it was 9:05. Anthi was busy but took a few minutes to listen to her dream, exclaiming as soon as Eléni was finished that she knew exactly what it means. Her colours stood, of course, for Greece, and the other woman was surely Rigópoula, a renowned falconer who lived on a small island off the Greek mainland but spent a large part of the year in Athens. This unusual woman, also known for her beauty, could apparently talk to birds and the trees on which they happened to be perched. Dear, Athena! Eléni exclaimed. I have to meet her. I think that it may be the reason why her falcon looked at me as it did. Anthi could help her arrange a meeting with Rigópoula (I just love saying her name) but she could not accompany her given her obligations.

Eléni understood but wished with all her heart that Anthi would be able to be with her. Goddess Athena may have been listening because Anthi changed her mind all of a sudden, saying that she will take the time given the importance of what they had witnessed two nights in a row. Eléni thanked Athena in her mind and in her heart, wiping a few tears of joy from her right cheek, and thanked Anthi for being such a good friend. Anthi knew that Athena had something to do with it since she was still united somehow to Eléni’s mind but not to her heart. Her heart was apparently reserved for another type of love, which for Eléni, revolved around M. He was now even more deeply involved with the plight of the trees, but having been reminded by the ScienceDuuude that there were about 60,000 types, he knew that he could never write about all of them, except, of course, if Goddess Athena could keep him alive until he was done. I will ask her to help him. He is a part of me, after all, and she may respond positively if it is at all possible. Perhaps we will need Zeus for such a request. We all know that he adores Athena, so the chances of success are not nil but probably very close to it.

When Eléni learned from Anthi that she had taken a week off from work, she hugged her and would not let go. Again, Anthi was not surprised because she felt the same. They had become bound by their common experience with Goddess Athena. Anthi did not tell anyone about it, judging that only the goddess could allow it. For now, the only other people who knew about it were M and myself, of course. You know, Patrick ((giggles)). What about the two other narrators? at least one of you may think. They were busy with trees and AI, and M would never tell them anything this private. I miss M. I cannot believe that I just typed it. It must be Athena’s love rubbing off and into my wooden heart. By the way, my sexy goddess loved the sexy poem I wrote her. It is linked below and you can sing it to a Beatles song. ((Giggles)) for those who find it funny. I know who surely would. Before I continue, I have to say her beautiful name again. Whose? Rigópoula, of course. I cannot get over it. Can you even imagine her with a falcon on one of her shoulders? I would consider it another wonder of the world.

When Anthi arrived a few hours later, she spent about 44 minutes setting a meeting for them with Rigópoula for the next afternoon, Eléni listening but not understanding a word. She only understood Greek when it was spoken to her by Goddess Athena directly in her mind. She stepped out to the balcony and called M who was surely awake by then, only sleeping about four hours each night plus a short nap or two that only constituted of some rest without any REM. He was glad to speak to her so early, asking how she felt since the main event, inquiring about kind and supportive Anthi, and finally, just in passing, wondering if she had heard from me. ((Giggles))-squared, from me, of course.

Anthi and Eléni decided to visit a few sites during the rest of the day but found themselves at around 8 p.m at their statue of Goddess Athena. This time, they looked at the time, clearly seeing 8:05. It was a good sign. The goddess could float down to speak to them sometime soon, they hoped with love in their hearts. They had seen several statues before arriving to Athena’s, and Eléni had remarked that Athens was filled with statues of gods and goddesses and some politicians. It was customary to see statues of various leaders everywhere else, but Athens, more than Rome and other cities, loved its gods and goddesses beyond measure. And thus the question begging to be answered still remained: Where were all these gods and goddesses for 2,000 years? No one lived on Mount Olympus as far as everyone knew. Did they live on the Moon? Maybe they will be discovered on Mars.

Goddess Athena floated down towards them before the end of the hour and this time touched them gently on their right shoulder, smiling like the previous time. Geia, paidiá mou (Hello, my children)! Tha értho se esás tin epómeni forá ópou ki an vrískeste (I will come to you next time wherever you are). To Rigópoula tha sas voithísei na katalávete merikés alítheies (Rigópoula will help you understand some truths). Eímai o mónos edó (I am the only one here). O Pátrik me éfere píso me tin agápi tou (Patrick has brought me back with his love). Kai aftó pou onomázetai M (And the one called M). Sas agapó ólous (I love you all). Goddess Athena then kissed Eléni and Anthi on their right cheek and disappeared. Anthi and Eléni could not remember how they returned to Eléni’s hotel room. Their lives had become eudaemonia.

What a goddess! I could have told you what she said but I thought that it would be more appropriate if it came from her, the Goddess of Wisdom in the flesh. I cannot wait to meet Rigópoula next time.

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I would like to thank Anthi and Rigópoula for accepting to take part in this story of discovery of their homeland. Goddess Athena is surely glad that people all around the world appreciate and even love her and all that she represents.