"That's who'll go to Crete!" "Come here." "I don't think I've ever sent you to a baptism." "I was 2nd best man in Akrata, and 3rd best man in Patra." "It's a tough village to win." "We need votes from all sides." "Maybe we should send someone more experienced?" "It's an honour to send your son." "Not a bad idea, Mr. President." "You're a little one?" "Little, but strong." "I have to leave, to go to Patra... and you will go to Crete on my behalf to baptise Mr. Panagakis's baby." "Three o'clock, just the two of us, we're going for a ride." "I didn't forget." "I know." "But, this is a great chance for you... to help in this election." "Will you help?" "After the baptism, you have to read this." "How hard is it to postpone the baptism?" "They've postponed it twice already." "If you can't go, that's all right." "We'll see, we'll find a solution." "I can." "Are you sure?" "And you don't have to read all of it or by heart, just read it." "But it's very important that you read the speech." "Our weapons are words, speeches." "That's our battlefield." "And then... a long ride... like in California." "But, only Greek in Crete, right?" "Get Alex ready." "He's going to Crete." "The son!" "Bravo!" "Don't worry." "Panagakis will take care of you." "Not this way." "This way." "After you, Mr. Alex." "Not like that." "Our Chief sits here." "Don't you understand, he must be seen by all, get it?" "Where's your head?" "We'll put this one, it's new." "Not that one." "Give it here." "We'll use these ones, they're big and fresh." "Brother." "Let's get going." "Your Godfather's coming!" "A great man, this tall!" "He's brave..." "big and strong." "Hello." "Brother, I think this gnat is talking to you!" "Whose boy is this?" " Hello, I'm the son." " The son?" "Whose son?" "Welcome, little man!" "You're our pride and joy!" "Crete was, is and always will be democratic." "Lefteris Panagakis." "What's your name, boy?" " Where's your father, Alex?" " To Patra." "He had to go..." "Inside Patra..." " He's not coming?" " He couldn't, I was by him sent." "Didn't anyone message you?" "Did they message me?" "Sure!" "We've been messaged!" "It's my fault." "A cable came last night, I forgot to mention." "That's what it was about." "Now you tell me?" "You who never forgets a thing!" "A thousand greetings..." "a thousand plus two more... a garden of meetings through our open door." "Welcome!" "You'll sit here." "Where your father would sit." "If it isn't the lazy hedgehog!" "A thousand charred devils!" "No, no, stop!" "Go back to hell, and don't return!" "Leave it alone!" "It's a living creature!" "Shut the hell up!" "It's the devil's seed." "Right?" "That's right." "Not like a lamb, scared of the shimmering blade." "Shame!" "This is our village." "We're here." "Wait." "I'll get the door." " A heart, a leg..." " get out of here." "Who's this?" "Where's the Chief?" "Get out of here, Moustaka." "That's the Godfather?" "He's little like us!" "Welcome." "Nice to have you." "Welcome my child, my lord and king." "It's his son, mother." "It's the same, even better." "You'll sleep here, on the bed we made up for your dad." "Not for young men, it was for your father." "This one doesn't even speak "Romeika"." "He doesn't, does he?" "For every two words, he makes three mistakes." "What good is a baptism without a speech, the way things are?" "150 votes are no joking matter." "You can't pick them like olives." "Mother of god... where's the boy?" "In the bedroom." "Myrto, go and get him!" "What's "Romeika"?" ""Romeika?" Greek." "What are they saying?" "It's impossible, we have to postpone it." "It's the third time!" "And leave the baby unbaptised?" "Woman!" "Do you think I'm stupid?" " What are they saying?" " It shouldn't happen." "What?" "The baptism." "When will we collect the votes?" "If our Chief was here, it would be a piece of cake." "But what can we do with the little one?" "What can I say?" "Let's postpone it." "And what do we do with the boy?" "He'll stay here for a a wee bit, and then go back." "They said for you to go back." "Go back." "Come downstairs... food." "What's he doing?" "You think I know?" "It's what politicians' sons do." "Practice every spare moment." "Instead of saying their prayers at night, they make speeches." "You think so?" "This one was born to be a politician." "You should see this, Panago... you who can't even make up a couplet." "What where you doing on the balcony?" "He was practising." "Right?" "Practice?" "Listen, boy..." "this is no ordinary baptism." "It's to bring democracy to this hard-fought land." "That's why we want to postpone it... have it later." "My father said that I've got to be the Godfather." "And you can say all this?" "I'm little but strong." "He'll do fine." "He's little but strong, he'll be a great Godfather." "Right, husband?" "Whatever we had planned for your father, you'll do." "I'll make you look better than your father." "Really." "Let me tell you a few things before we start the day." "Because today and tomorrow are two very important days." "You understand?" "For the baptism?" "For democracy." "Today we'll visit two families the Fountedakis, and the Manedakis." "They're not supporting our party but you're here to win them over." "We need both families tomorrow with us." "Tomorrow, when we march in the square we need both families." "That's the only way to get our 150 votes." "We need this many votes to get elected." "That's right!" "You have to greet everyone." "And double greet them." "You know how?" "Your hand." "With both hands." "Damnit!" "Ls this music?" "Are you joining the other side?" "I'll make a man out of you yet, like it or not!" "Let's go on." "Whatever they offer, you eat." "Eat, eat, and don't ask." "Would my father do that?" "And a lot more!" "He'd chortle it all down!" "That way we get the women on our side." "Don't you know what they do?" "Their husband asks them to vote for one party, they say "yes" and then secretly they vote for another." "That's why we'll bring them with us, one by one." "And say:" ""My compliments to the chef."" "My compliments to the chef." "Good, come here, my trinket." "You should have been my son." "Now, the men will ask you to do things." "Things, don't worry, favours." "They're helping us to bring democracy and we help with their stuff." "Their problems." "You see, son?" "If they ask for electricity, you say "electricity"." "If they ask for a phone line, you say a "phone"." "If they ask for a road, you say "yes!" "The road!"" "You say "yes" to everything." "Would my father do that?" "That, and much more!" " Leave the boy alone." " I'll set you straight!" " You're only making it worse." " Not a word!" "Come here, damn it!" "What are you doing?" "Damn your father!" "Here's the Godfather!" "Hold the baby, she wants you." "Aren't you her Godfather?" "Are you afraid of dropping her?" "If you want to practice, you can lift me, it's fine." " See, your dumb son again!" " Why, sweetheart, why?" "Shouldn't you say something?" "Something of your own?" "You can't be a politician and a mute." "The boy knows how to speak." "Say something that your father says." "Long live demo-cre-cy." "Oh, mother of god!" "Demo-cre-cy!" "Crete's democracy!" "Cool!" "Shut up, you're confusing Mr. Alex." "Boy!" "Long live demo-cra-cy!" "Demo-cre-cy." "Mother of god!" "Democra-cra..." "Cra!" "Cra!" "Cra!" "Like when you crush hedgehogs!" " Welcome." " Nice to meet you." "This is our Chief's son." " This squirt is the son?" " He looks American." "He doesn't look at all like the Chief." "When you couple a Greek with a foreigner, you get this." "I saw the Chief's picture when he was young, they're the same." "My compliments to the chef." "Come to think of it, they do look alike." "They're identical." "Tell your father that the road must pass below our village." "It must reach our fields, too." "We can't always be the ignored ones." "It's all right here." " Yes to the road." " Below!" "What a voice the duckling has." "Bravo, my little man!" "My compliments." "I have a request too, Panagaki." "He has to tell his father to get rid of the policeman." "He blames our herds, our people, he doesn't let us be." "And it's getting worse." "He must leave." "I'll give it to you in writing." " He will leave." " He will leave!" "Who should leave?" "The police-mean." "This one was brought up to govern us one day." "I wish I could see where to lay the blame... an island run by goat thieves and that's a real shame." "None in Crete are born ready to lie and steal... an insult to us all when stolen goat is our meal." "Who's stealing?" " Who, the Manedakis of course!" " Already, 200 goats stolen!" "Panagaki, you promised." "We made it clear." "When I get elected, all goats will be returned!" "All 200!" "Pano, make us a couplet." "You're a grown man." "A bee sleeps in the thickets of my heart..." "Dear friends." "Long live demo... cracy!" "How can it be my son spouts nonsense at the worst time?" "You're son is a man, he must speak in public." "I agree." "And talk about bees and gibberish?" "He can't even make up a couplet?" "Why is god punishing me with a son that says things a woman says?" "Didn't you see how Alex spoke?" "We must have got at least 35 votes." "Do you know how strong we'll be with the Fountedakis tomorrow?" "I see our votes walking upright on their own." "It seems like you've learned a lot from your father." "Where did this come from?" "Thank god no one's around!" "Are you tired?" "Maybe you want to rest a bit?" " No." " Are you sure?" "It's the food..." "a lot of food... there's even more food." "How will we win over the women?" "Crete, the land of "even more food"!" "Don't you dare open your mouth at the Manedakis." "I don't want to." "Come here, you have to find a trick to cope with the food." "Pretend you're taking a big one, but snatch a small one." "Politics:" "The art of faking." "Politics is the art of adapting." "And if you can't eat any more, dump some here." " Along with the votes." " Look here, you see?" "The ones that hit me..." "they're there... we should go the back way." "I don't want trouble." "We'll outnumber them tomorrow." "It's different to be strong." "Fear brings fear." "We'll go through the square." "Brother, are you nuts?" "Have you spoken?" "Mother of god..." "After the election." "You must forget her." "Here's what you asked for, I'll wait for you over here." " The Manedakis are like them." " Get dressed and don't talk." "But they're coming closer to us." "They're still not our people." "It's the last time I'm helping." "I'm going to marry her after." "Walk, and stop talking." "Welcome!" "It's an honour he sent his son." "Let's see what these ones have to say." "Why not?" "If our Chief doesn't bide to Cretan tradition... fire in their eyes and guts!" "My compliments." "The kid's got it!" "My compliments." "He has quite an appetite." "Listen, boy." "You have to tell your father about the road." "I know." "Below!" "What's he saying?" "He means above!" "Watch out, Panagaki!" "Two roads!" "Above and below!" "We'll start above, and we'll see about below." "The smallest one?" "You don't like our food?" "My compliments." "We said we'll help you, to see what your Chief is like." "Just don't try anything funny with us." "The road will pass from above." "It's done." "The very best of Crete load all onto their fork... stolen goat and stolen sheep and stolen sweet white pork." "What are they saying?" "Something about goats." "God may put the saint high up in his great chapel... but loves without constraint the thief who stole the apple." "Now that we're on the subject what does your Chief think of our Cretan tradition?" "All 200 goats back!" "What's the son saying?" "He's learning Greek now." "Our traditions never change." "I think he said something else." "This is the best appetizer." "You must try our snails." "No one makes them better." "They were for your father." "The sauce took 3 days." "The art of faking." "Who said he's not eating?" "Eat it, love, it's tasty." "Long live democracy." "Long live democracy!" " What are you doing?" " He doesn't want our food?" "Who said he doesn't want it?" "Be careful, Panagaki." "Traditions in Crete never change." "Our traditions and our snails." "Lord have mercy." "He's just a kid." "If he's just a kid, he shouldn't be here." "Everything will be as you wish." "Come with us tomorrow, and see what a nice speech he'll make." "Come with you, after this?" "God wouldn't allow it!" "Peace be with you." "What a disaster!" "We lost the votes, because of a snail." "Was it that hard to just eat it?" "The poor kid was stuffed." "I can eat." "I can." "I have to be the Godfather." "I can eat." "Don't worry... you will be the Godfather, my darling dear." "Go to sleep." "Sometimes I wonder why you do all this." "What do you gain?" "You're asking me?" "All these expenses, and work, and what about the boy?" "Democracy requires sacrifice." "Mr. Alex!" "Where are you, boy?" "The people are here." "Where is he?" "Where is he?" " I don't know." " Come downstairs." "The boy will be right down." "He's getting ready, he'll be right down." "Quicken up, we're in trouble." " Come here." " Let me go!" " You are the son!" " I am not!" "I told you about the leg, but the right one, not the left." "It's useless, not good for the Chief!" "But you are the son... what's up?" "No gathering votes today?" "Get out of here." "What did you say?" "I can't get votes anymore." "I can't say "my compliments"." "What will you do?" "I can't eat damn snails either!" "What are pancakes?" "They're a kind of sweet bread." "Mr. Alex!" "Why are you shouting?" "They'll know we lost the kid." "There go our votes." "I can see them running away." "Does my father know where you are?" "Now the real fun begins!" "What are you doing with the rocks?" "They'll be looking for you." "They can't find you here." "My stupid son got him all worked up." "What have I done, god, and you punish me like this?" "He's somewhere around here." "He probably went to get some fresh air." "You shouldn't blame Panago." "And you shouldn't get him worked up." "I work him up?" "You send him to English and piano class." "When you have kids of your own, raise them as you wish." "I didn't propose yet for your sake." "And never propose to her." "I'm not helping in the next election." "You'll help until we win." "I helped in '58, in '61." "Last time." "Afterwards, I'll propose." "They'll never give you her hand." "Brother, if they don't, I'll steal her." "Do you think they stole the boy?" "What are you saying?" "You're thinking like they do." "Why don't you speak Greek?" "My father came here to be a politician." "Go back to the votes." "I'm protecting the hedgehogs." "They go by here to drink water." "With this, they'll return through the fields without going on the road, where my father crushes them." " And go cra-cra..." " like democra-cra-cy." "Shout it out loud!" "The whole village should know!" "You'll find him." "He's no needle in a haystack." " They certainly stole him." " They did not." "Either way, go out there, and tell the people." "We're leaving, Panagaki." "You can't fool us any longer." "He's not here." "They stole him." "They did this to us." "Now they're doing it to you?" "And what will you be when you grow up?" "You?" "I'll be a poet, a real one, not a rhyming coupleteer." "You?" "You, not your father." "Think of one thing you like." "It's from America, right?" "Run, villagers!" "They stole the boy, the Chief's son!" "Bring your guns, if you don't have any, find some!" "These people are enough." "How far can the boy have gone?" "I'm not turning them out for the boy, but for the votes." "We'll get our 150 votes, come hell or high water." " They stole the boy?" " He vanished into thin air." "Why does the outlaw State meddle in our affairs?" "Let's show them our strength!" "We're doing good." "You're incredible... democracy is our top priority!" "Listen, villagers!" "You go above the stream." "You take the higher road, we'll circle the mountain." "We'll take the road, in the cars." "Don't leave a stone unturned!" "We must sweep the whole place!" "Road above, road below, goats!" "It's always like that." "Everyone wants something else." "There's only one thing that everyone likes:" "Couplets." "I'm a minority." "Eat, you!" "And listen to our Chief's words!" "The fields belong to you, and Greece belongs to its people!" "Have you seen the son?" "He ran like the devil was chasing him." "Like crazy!" "Where did he go?" "They stole him." "Not our people." " The ones that hit me?" " Of course!" "An army was chasing him!" "They ran upwards!" "From here on, we go upwards!" "They do that here." "When they're happy, bang!" "When they're sad, bang!" "Except if it's for us!" "This is Pano's hide out." "I'm sure he did the deed." "He took him to the devil's nest." "But he can't fool me, I can sniff him out!" "No one will find us." "This is my hide out." "My father calls it the devil's nest." "I put the young ones here." "And when they get big, I set them free and my father kills them." "When I like something, he hates it on purpose." "What doesn't your dad like?" "This one will make it." "They're coming from everywhere." "They'll see us!" "He'll kill all of them!" "He'll kill them all... there's the boy." "Thank god almighty!" "Who stole you, son?" "Tell us, we'll get them!" "Tell us, why did you leave without saying anything?" " Did Panos bring you here?" " Not Panos." "Listen, villagers!" "The boy told me everything!" "We were right!" "He was stolen!" "He was stolen, but not by men." "The beauty of Crete stole him." " Enough!" " Enough?" "Go with Fountedakis and whatever you promised him." "What are you saying?" "Our Chief is counting on you." "Our Chief is counting on you." "Don't listen to Manedakis." "Don't listen to Fountedakis." "I'm throwing dust in his eyes." "It's just a game." "We'll be together from now on!" "See how wrong you were?" "Nobody stole him." "If democracy doesn't come, everything's wrong." "It's our only goal." "Come on, young man." "Let's go home." "Let's go home and get you rested." "Stop it!" "He's like Panagos, not like his father." "Listen, boy... did you learn it?" "You and me, will learn it together." "I don't want to be the Godfather." "This is a problem." "Remember what you told me when you got to Crete?" "That you must be the Godfather and that you must read the speech and that you're little but strong?" "You have a duty, and you can't back out." "I can't be the Godfather." "There's no such thing as "can't"." "Only "I don't want to"." "Do you want democracy to come to this land?" "For us not to be scared, not to be chased not to be afraid to go through the square not to be like scared animals, like Moustakas no one stepping on us, to live with dignity?" "Do you want democracy, Alex?" "It's in your hands." "Should I help you?" "Are you sure?" "The difficult, noble... dear friends, together we start the difficult, noble work... to build!" "To build a country that's governed... that's governed by the people." "We want Greece to belong to the Greeks." "Long live democracy!" "For democracy..." "this time we're getting close." "For democracy." "I want to see you after we bring democracy." "You promised everyone something different." "What can I do?" "Everyone gets something." "Isn't it always that way in life?" "Have you ever seen anyone get everything?" "What you get, as is with truth, is always in the middle." "Your Chief doesn't do that, he wants to go forward." "I'm trying to help him." "In my own way." "They locked me in my room." "Let's get out of here." "No." "You'll be the Godfather?" "You'll read the speech?" "Is this what you want?" "Then don't do it!" "By the time democracy gets here all the hedgehogs will be dead!" "Welcome, boy!" "My young man!" "Good work, the kid." "Do you renounce Satan?" " I renounce." " Louder." " Do you renounce Satan?" " I renounce!" "Your name shall be hope, in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit." "Amen." "Excellent, the Godfather!" "Long live!" "A worthy Godfather!" "Long life to our fellow man!" "Your father's message." "They're waiting." "And now, Mr. Alex our worthy fellow-man and our Chief's son will read his message." "What happened to the boy?" "Nothing happened." "He'll say it by heart, like he's supposed to." "Of course!" "I came to Crete for democracy." "For democracy to come to our country." "Because, in a democracy... everybody's allowed to live... he who walks fast... he who walks slow... even he who walks really really slow... like Pano's hedgehogs." "Long live democracy!" "Maybe he isn't the son." "His ways are different." "You fooled us, Panagaki." "He'll read the message!" "He'll read the message, he's our Chief's son." "Erotokritos and digenis, kornaros and venizelos... all were born in Crete yet very different fellows." "Likewise our leader and his son are not at all the same... yet fight for one big cause democracy by name." "The evil eye, it's upon him!" "Help me!" "I'm with you." "I have to hand it to you." "Finally, our votes." "This is the moment for democracy." "Can I lift you?" "Lift me?" "What for?" "To see if I can." " I'm heavier than the baby." " I know." "Farewell, young man, have a good trip." "Farewell, darling." "I'll be back." "I'm the Godfather." "I, Sifalios, son of Sifi Sifaka want to offer our Chief:" "A liver, a heart, two lungs, a kidney and a leg." "Not the right one, it's damaged." "I'll pay the doctor, to remove them and give them to him." "Where's that vile creature?" "Go to bloody hell, and don't come back!" "The votes, what happened?" "You've learned the language, but you didn't read the speech." "Why didn't you?" "What will you tell my father?" "What do you want me to say?" "The truth." "Alex, I must say you're a brave boy." "Welcome." "Can we be left alone?" "They told me you did well." "You brought me 150 votes, plus the entire village." "I didn't do it the right way." "I don't even do it the right way all the time." "I know that." "But you must have said something." "What was it?" "I told them that everybody is the same everyone fits in a democracy, even the hedgehogs." "The hedgehogs?" "Even I hadn't thought of that!" "Look what Crete did to my son..." " they want you, Chief." " One moment." "I don't know if we can go on that ride today, but it'll happen soon." "Soon?" "Soon." "I want to tell you something really important to me." "I don't care only about democracy... there's more to life... there's the fact that..." "Chief, the government's been overthrown!" "My father never finished his phrase." "I'm sure he wanted to tell me that besides democracy he loved me very, very much." "Edited by LeapinLar"