Meeting Tina
Savides
by Jilliana
Ranicar-Breese
I was
passionate about learning Greek so I could have a
basic conversation with Greek islanders. I was
spending a lot of time on the islands and had the
mad idea of going to Athens in August. Obviously
I didn’t know how sweltering it would be!
I had been let down by a Greek antique dealer in
Portobello market who promised I could stay with
his aunt in Athens. Not to be. I had just got the
news that Saturday in July and was very upset.
What to do? I had no Greek contacts but
desperately wanted to go.
I walked from my house down Kensington Park Road
until I got to my favourite second hand shop
‘Boo’s closet’. There was always
something to buy and I needed some retail therapy.
It was a tiny cluttered shop and as I was looking
at something with my back turned, I heard a
female voice, decidedly Greek, asking how much
she owed. I turned to face a middle aged petite
dark haired woman, well dressed in good quality
conventional clothes.
I managed to speak to her in basic Greek which
amused her.
‘Are you Greek?’
‘Yes, why do you want to know?’ She
demanded.
‘Because I’m coming to Athens in August’.
Her name was Tina and I amused her.
‘Do you know a family in Athens who could
host me ?’
‘Well I might.’ Said Tina looking me up
and down at the way I was dressed and working out
my class background.
Tina paid her bill and was about to leave.
‘Can I invite you for a cup of tea in my
nearby home?’
‘Well I don’t normally accept tea from
strangers but I will make an exception.’
Tina came back for tea, met my husband and
glanced around the drawing room of our Edwardian
house in Kensington Park Road taking it all in.
‘You must meet my daughter Nicole.’ She
said.
The next day dawned and Tina confessed that she
was herself going to Athens and I could stay with
her subject to Nicole’s approval. We were
invited for a delicious roast lamb dinner even
with a priest as a regular guest.
That was about 25 years ago. Tina is no longer
with us but today Nicole is very much in my life.
Written
18/12/24 at Nightingale.
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