"THE YOUNG RUNAWAY" "Maria of the Summertime... how bitter is October... you'll seek but won't recover... the boy's loving hand... the hand that met... your own hand... the hand that parted... with your little hand..." "within this summertime..." "Maria of the Summertime..." "PUBLIC REFORMATORY BOYS' SCHOOL" "'Bye now." "Goodbye, Mr. Apostolos!" "EVAPORATED MILK" "Rhegas Pheraeos!" ""It's finer to live one hour as a free man... than forty years as a slave and prisoner"." "Athanasios Diakos!" ""Get lost, converts, you and your religion..." "I was born a Greek, I shall die a Greek."" "[The two names mentioned were heros of the 1821 Greek Revolution [and the texts famous lines by them]" "[The rest are Nursery rhymes]" "No more of this, Maria, my dear!" "I got him a car, a got him a home..." "It's time I got him a bride, too!" "Antigone!" "If you'll allow me..." "I believe marriage is a dated institution these days." "You're a playboy!" "You're against marriage!" "This is well known to all the girls in the neighborhood." "Let's go, Maria, before he gets on my nerves again, this man!" "I sure will sail away on a ship!" "You won't be spared!" "I'll save myself from you alright!" "No matter what you say, Maria dear, I cannot but believe so." "Today's children have become real tyrants!" "You're constantly insulting me!" "But I won't say that you're infatuated with all these actors..." "Only with Richard Burton." "And I, with Rita Pavone." "Her of all women!" "Now what could he possibly like about her, my dear?" "Come on, now." "Don't argue." "Shall I offer you some ouzo?" "No, Maria, thanks." "I'm too upset!" "Phff!" "Too upset..." "Aaah, I'd rather sail away on a ship and be devoured by the black seas than endure your infidelity!" "Aaah, you're incorrigible indeed!" "Maria dear, will you allow Nancy to sleep over with us tonight?" "A good thing you reminded me of it!" "See?" "She never sleeps." "She opens her eyes the moment I walk out." "Why put her to bed so early then?" "Early?" "She didn't sleep a wink at noon." "You cannot possibly imagine what a pain she is, Antigone dear..." "Oh, yes I can, Maria dear!" "Tyrants, tyrants!" "Children are tyrants!" "Mommies are angels!" "Don't give her much food, she's tending to get fat." "To get fat..." "I'll get her back to you tomorrow." "Shall I bring my male doll for company?" "Let us see him first and decide." "Is he handsome?" "He's a doll." "Got a sports car, too!" "You have an eye for cars, of course!" "I sure do!" "These days a man should definitely own a car." "You're no good for marriage, I'm telling you you're not!" "You had another row?" "But he does love you!" "Is that what love's like?" "A constant nag?" "I'd rather sail away on a ship and be devoured by the black seas, I sure will!" "Don't give him such a hard time, Antigone!" "Oh, he deserves it, Maria dear." "You know how jealous he is?" "So, what about you?" "Are you staying?" "Yes, I'm staying." "I'll tidy up a bit." " Goodnight, then." " Goodnight." " Sleep well, dear!" " Thank you." "And remember!" "Don't give her too much food!" "Hands up!" "Hands up, I said!" "Sit down!" "Put your hands down." "What's your name?" "Maria." "I'm Alexis. ls the house yours?" "No." "It's my mom's." "And where's your mom now?" "She's with my pa and my brother at the building site." " And why did you stay here?" " To guard the house." "You're quite a guard, are you?" " Are you a thief?" " No." "Then why did you take our milk?" "Because I was hungry." "When I make money I'll buy it and get it back to you." "You tlhtwadl" " Why were you hungry?" "I just was." "Isn't everyone?" " You only have milk at night?" " No, I eat food, too." "Why, are you on a diet?" "Not me." "Mom is." " Who is it?" " No one." " Are you scared?" " A bit." "Why did you leave home?" "Pa is separated from Mother." "They were acrobats." "Worked together at a circus." "My mother is French." "She's become a dancer now." " And where's your house?" " In Athens." "Look..." "I'll tell you the truth but you must swear not to betray me." " No, I won't betray you." "I'm a runaway." "A runaway?" "Were you in prison?" "Not in prison, in a reformatory school." "And now?" "What will you do now?" "Why do you care about me?" "I'm going to Athens to find my mother." "I'll ask her to keep me with her." " I don't want to go back to grandma." " You don't love your grandma?" "Grandma's a witch." "She reads the cards and the coffee cups." "A witch?" "But..." "I think she doesn't love me." "Did she put you in prison?" "I said it was a reformatory school and no, she didn't." "I went there myself." "Why did you?" "Because I stole a car." "I know about cars." "For your Information, cars have four gears." "I can use the first and the second one." " My pa uses all of them." " Does he know Mackeenan?" "He doesn't." "See?" "He knows nothing about cars then." "Mackeenan races at rallies." "He can use all gears." "And he doesn't turn using the wheel." "He uses the handbrake instead." "Do you race at rallies, Alexis?" "Not yet." "I don't have a car." "What did you do with the one you stole?" "They took it from me." "Because..." "Well, I just took a wrong turn and drove into a confectionery." "Don't laugh, tightwad!" "Put your hands up!" "Sit down." "I said, don't laugh!" "Put your hands down." " Ever been hunting?" " No." "My Pa, before his divorce, took me to the jungle twice." " To the lions?" " Sure thing!" "Lions and tigers." "One day when a lion chased me in the jungle, do you know that?" " No!" " Don't laugh, then." " And what did the lion do?" "It ran fast and almost got me." "I climb a tree almost up to heaven." "The lion tries to climb, too." "A big snake pops out of its hole and fights the lion for 3 days and 3 nights until they're both dead." "My father was looking for me in the jungle and when he found me he took me in his arms crying." "Only mother was not with us." "I know that grandma doesn't love me." "She never took me to the cinema." "Or let mother come and see me." "So then, I... one day... ran away and stole a car." "I must go to Athens and find mother." "Ask her to keep me with her." "But right now it's nighttime." "Where will you go?" "Magi pass by this place a!" "night." "I must travel by night only." "'Cause I'm a runaway." " Want to sleep in our house?" " Never mind." "Think I'll get going." "Sleep here tonight and leave tomorrow." "Down in the storeroom we have a bed." " What if your folks come?" " They never go to the storeroom." "Alright, then." "Since you insist." "I might as well stay." "But only for tonight." "I'll leave tomorrow." " Are you hungry?" " I've had milk." "We also have some cake." "You know..." "I made it myself." "I mean..." "Me and mom did." "Want us to eat it?" "You make nice sweets!" "I can make more, even nicer ones." "Is your brother old?" "Not older than you." "Will he beat me in a fight?" "Dunno." "He beats all the boys in the neighborhood." "But he doesn't fight." "He's nice!" "I'm full." "It was great." "Well..." "I made it!" "There, Alexis." "That's where you'll sleep." " Goodnight and don't be scared, OK?" " Goodnight." " Anyone asked for us, Marla?" " No, mommy." " Locked the car, Grlorls?" " I did, Eleni." "And how did you get along on your own?" " Fine, daddy." " Shall I turn the water heater on?" " Yes, Eleni." "So..." "Have you been a good girl today?" " I have." " Good!" " Let me light you a cigarette." " But I've just had one." "No, I want to, come on!" "Well, OK then." "Maria!" "Who ate all the cake?" "I... had... visitors, llttleTassos and Antigone... and I offered them cake, mommie." "Oh, we have visitors now, I see..." "Why were you laughing, eh?" "Maria..." "A boy ran away from the reformatory school today." "Imagine..." "They were looking for him at the beach with some big flashlights..." " The poor boy, did they find him?" " Not yet." "Ma said we must beware for he may be around here." "Well, I'll be...!" "Maria?" "Who drank all the milk, child?" "Antigone... wanted... to give her doll some but... but... mommie, he wouldn't have it so she drank it instead." "Don't laugh, dad, OK?" "Those men were calling out to him at the sea through some big horns and they were calling him Alexis." " Was his name Alexis?" " Yes, Alexis." "They told Dad he was..." " a car thief." " He's not a thief!" "His grandma's a witch and doesn't love him." "Better not speak if you don't know." "Hear that?" "Would you believe it?" "Calling our Alexis a thief!" "Good evening!" " Good evening!" " Not asleep?" "I'm not sleepy." "Want something?" "I know you're keeping something from mel But..." "I'm your brother and you must tell me everything!" " Like what?" " Why aren't you asleep?" " I'm not sleepy!" " Who ate the cake?" " Antigone did." " Who drank the milk?" "Antigone's doll." " Goodnight." " Goodnight." "Not asleep?" "I'm not sleepy." "Want something?" "I know you're my brother and I must tell you everything." "But I'm afraid you'll tell Mom." "I won't speak a word." "I'm no tattletale." "Then I'll tell you all." "Alexis was taken by some witches but he escaped them and came here." "He was hungry and drank the milk." "We ate the cake together." "And where's he now?" "Sleeping in the storeroom." "Want to meet him?" " At this hour?" " He may not be asleep." "Shall we check?" "Maria..." " Is he old?" " Not older than you." "Will he beat me if we fight?" "Dunno." "He beats all the boys in his neighborhood." "But he doesn't fight." "He's good." "Let's go." "He's not here." "Where did he go, Nikos?" " He may have left." "Alexis, I was worried that perhaps the magi had taken you." "I stayed awake at the balcony looking out." "I didn't want you to be alone." "I heard noise and was scared." "I didn't know it was you." "Good evening!" "Good evening." "Let me introduce you, my brother Nikos..." "Mister Alexis." "How do you do." "How do you do." " Please, be seated." " Thank you." "Pretty hot today, wasn't it..." "Oh yes, pretty hot..." "I reckon, it'll get cooler..." "You see, autumn will soon be here." "Indeed, autumn will soon be here." "Do you live in Athens?" "Yes, at grandma's." "And... what do you do?" "Various business, and you?" "At present, I'm still at school." "I'll become an engineer." "Mmm, an engineer..." "A good profession." "It has too many difficulties, though." "Well, that's true." "All professions do." "Maria... has talked to me about you." "Of course you understand that I'm a runaway." "Yes, I'm aware of that." "What are you planning on doing now?" "I think I should set out for Athens in the morning, find mother." "Ask her to keep me, I don't want to go back to grandma." "Niko, his grandma's a witch and doesn't love him." "But you may be caught." "Wouldn't it be better if you wrote and asked her to pick you up?" "Untll then... we'll hide you." "Do not worry." "Don't o, Alexis." "We'll hide you, don't worry!" "Thank you!" "Thank you." "Won't you eat some?" "I'm not hungry." "You eat." "What is this, Nikos?" "A scops owl." "Yes." "It's a scops owl." "Alexis..." "It's a scops owl." "Grandma, she knows all stories about birds." "Does she know about scops owl too?" "Yes, she does." "She knows everything." "She's a witch." "She knows everything." "Once upon a time..." "Scops Owl was a little child and lived in the village with his older brother." "One day, his brother went to town to do some shopping and left him to keep an eye on the horses." "Scops Owl, full of joy, took them out to the field in the morning and In the evening he took them back to the stall, singing." "He counted them but found them short by one cause he forgot to count the one he was riding upon." "You see, he was too little to count correctly." "So he started running and calling out to the horse that was lost and night caught him still in the woods." "When at midnight his older brother came back from town he didn't find poor Scops Owl anywhere." "He cried a lot, cause he loved his little brother too much." "Then he started running and calling out to him in the woods and God felt pity for him and turned him into a bird." "Ever since then, every single night he goes out calling to his little brother who was lost." "And he hasn't yet found his little brother?" "No, he hasn't found him yet." "Mother says that what is lost can never be found again, it never comes back." "The streets are closed... with downpour... and the sky... with sorrow... passersby lonely... and not without fear..." "Deep is the pain... of the wound... as deep as darkness..." "My love, you haven't shown up yet... and night has fallen upon me..." "Good evening, madam." "Mrs. Rita Papageorgiou?" " Yes." " How do you do." "I have some bad news but you mustn't worry really," "Alexis ran from the reformatory yesterday Perhaps you know where he is?" "Alexis ran away?" "Don't wony, madam, we'll get him back." "Don't worry." "Little bird, where are you headed in the storm... the day's been blackened by rainfall... and still I haven't seen you..." "Deep is the pain of the wound... deep as darkness..." "My love you haven't shown up yet... and night has fallen upon me..." "I knew you'd come." "I was expecting you would." "Mother, tell me, what has become of the child?" "Alexis left the reformatory." "I hear they haven't found him yet." "You shouldn't have done this." "You shouldn't have let them take him there." "You have no right to talk about the child." "To you he's a stranger." "Why are you talking to me like that?" "You're a mother, too." "I don't want to know my son, either!" "He didn't take my advice when he married you." "When he brought an entertainer in my house." "He never listened to me!" "He might as well pay for it now." "Serves him right!" "You may go now." "If I have any news..." "I'll see that you're notified." "You deprived me of my husband and you made us both unhappy." "You sent Alexis to the reformatory because you never felt any love for anything!" "But bear this in mind..." "Whatever law it is written in, the child is mine!" "I will find him, wherever he may be." "I'll find him!" "And then... you'll never keep us apart any more." "Mother..." "Come..." "You're from this area, children?" "You play here?" "Do me a favor." "Have you perhaps seen this child?" "Don't worry." " Were they looking for Alexis?" " Yes, don't speak." " Where's he now?" " In the chapel, writing to mother." "Tell him not to leave." "We'll be on guard." "They may be back." "Hurry!" "To Morn Mrs. Rita Papageorgiou, Dancer, ATHENS" "Alexis!" "Don't be scared." "Two men with black hats were here asking about you." "The men with black hats are gone." "You're not scared, are you?" "I'm not scared." "Alexis, who's in the photograph?" "It is mother." "Can I have a look at her?" "What did you write to her?" "I asked her to come and pick me up." "I wrote her about you, too." "Me?" "What did you write her about me?" "The truth." "That you are... very pretty." "Bu!" "she..." "She's the prettiest woman of all." "Rita?" "What's the matter with you?" "You haven't heard yet?" "The boy..." "He's left the reformatory for 3 days now and still hasn't been found." " He left?" " Hasn't been to your mother's either." " Why?" " You're always wondering why, Vassilis." "Too late for wondering now." "The boy's alone, without any help, no one standing by him." "He'll come to Athens." "To his grandma." "He has nowhere else to go." "He won't go there again." "I know." "He'll look for us." "And he knows nothing about us." "Like where we are, where we live." "If we even exist." "And now?" "What should we do?" "What we haven't done all these years." "Find the boy and keep him with us." "Soon enough, It'll be too late for all of us." "I'm not to blame for what happened." "Perhaps you're not, either." "But we've been separated for 5 years." "It's too late now." "It is too late..." "Perhaps you're right, Vassilis." "It is too late." "Congratulations!" "Maria!" "Welcome!" "Come in!" "Come in!" "Congratulations!" "May they live happily!" " It's an honor to be visiting you, Maria!" " You're very welcome, Mr. Tassos!" "I'm so happy our families have become one, my dear!" "Ever so happy!" "Maria dear, we've been up since early morning today!" "No sleep at all." "What an exaggeration, Tassoulis!" "See my tears of joy, dearest?" " Tu tul" " Be quiet, Thanassakisl" "Please, Rena..." "What was I saying, Maria?" "Oh, yes..." "Sometimes happiness comes so suddenly when no one expects it!" "How absolutely right, Antigone dear!" "Please come in, sit down." "Your fur stole ls exquisite, Antigone!" "Thank you, Maria, you're a darling!" " If you'll excuse me a moment?" " But of course, my dear!" "By all means!" " What a house!" "Keep evil eyes out!" " Be quiet, Thanassakis!" "A lovely couple, don't you agree, dear?" "A matchmaking, imagine that!" "Matchmaking, really?" "I was under the impression they married from love." "It's a fact, Rena dear." "Best marriages today come from matchmaking." "If you'll allow me, Antigone, I have to disagree on that." "Matchmaking ls a dated Institution nowadays, wouldn't you say, Mr. Thanassakis?" " Be quiet, Thanassakis!" "Tassoulis dear, you're overlooking the fact that my parents as well as yours wedded after matchmaking." "And their marriage, thank God, was no failure." "Won't you agree, Rena dear?" " Bu!" "of course, my dear." " Would you agree, Mr. Thanassakis?" " Be quiet, Thanassakis!" "Oh, in fact..." "Maria!" "Please, Tassoulis." "Where is the happy couple considering to go for their honeymoon?" "I haven't decided yet, I'm considering Africa." "Here's some Turkish delight for you." " Africa?" "But there's lions there!" "Behave, Thanassakis!" "I'm not scared of lions." "Alexis has been to the jungle twice." " To the lions?" " Of course!" "Lions and tigers!" "Has he now?" "Was he not afraid?" "Alexis?" "He's fearless!" "His grandma's witch and doesn't love him." "Why does she not?" "Witches do not love and for your information they know everything." " Indeed they do!" "Witches know everything." "Wouldn't you say so, Mr. Thanassakis?" "Be quiet Thanassakis!" "Oh but how chatty can he be!" "I feel for you, my dear!" "Oh, Maria darling..." "I seem to have heard... that Alexis knows much about cars, too." "He can use the first and second gear." "And when he grows up he'll race in the rallies." "Oh then... he'll also take me with him." "I knew you'd come." "I was expecting you would." "Mother..." "The boy's been gone for ten days, mother." "I've been to the reformatory." "They've been looking for him but nothing so far, they said." "You see, mother?" "See what?" "I... came... well... perhaps... perhaps you could..." "Don't worry about your son." "Looks like he took after you." " You mean he's fine?" " Yes." "He's fine." "Isn't that what you wanted to know?" "Mother..." "I'm his father, am I not resposnlble for him?" " You are?" "You're a father and you're responsible..." "You realized already?" "That early?" "I know he needs me, he could use my help." "I have find him, mother, have I not?" "Yes." "You have to, Vassilis." "Soon, too." "Soon..." "Yes, soon." "But... how can I do it?" "Better take your travelling players..." "and set out." "Take all those hungry ones... and set out..." "Tour the villages nearby... collect money on a plate... and [flay" "Play!" "Your clown show!" "Until you find him!" "You're not to return without the boy!" "Or I know you not!" "Are you crying?" "No." "Yes, you are." "I know." "I told you I'm not crying." "I've brought you some dessert." "Not hungry." "I don't want any." "I want to leave." "I want to go to Athens and find mother." "She hasn't written back or come to pick me up." "I know she doesn't love me any more." "Do you understand?" "Why did you have to bring me dessert?" "I told you I wasn't hungry." " Mom made It for the wedding." " What wedding?" "I wedded my doll to Antigone's male doll." "Congratulations!" "Congratulations, I said." "Thanks." "Here's to your wedding, too!" " Ma wants you to go home at once." " I won't go!" "I'll show you if you don't!" "Pa's at Nikos' house." "Shall we have a look at the car?" "I told you to o home at once." "Ma wants you." " I won't go!" " I'll show you if you don't." "Shall we get in for a fake drive?" "You're still here?" "Ma wants you at home." "I won't go!" "Move over!" "Nice car!" "You should see it at full speed." "Dad makes some swerves!" "Does your Dad race at the rallies?" " You go home, Ma wants you!" " I won't go!" "Will you show us how they speed at the races?" "I have to wear a helmet." "I can't do it like that." "It's alright, Alexis." "Just a bit, let's see you do it." "Bravo, Alexis!" "What is this, Mihalis?" "What's happening here?" "Where did he get the keys?" "What are you doing in the car?" "Nothing, Dad." "Just playing." " Who's this gentleman?" " A friend of ours." "Lives nearby." "Out of the car!" "Right now!" "Where did you take the dessert, child?" "Speak!" "Speak!" "Antigone wanted to congratulate me on the wedding, Mom..." "But again?" "She already did." "She wanted to congratulate once again." "Back to the house now!" "Come, Nikos!" "Move it!" "Get home, quick!" "We met with night too early... and lost our way... and all the remains of a wrecked life... we're carrying on our shoulders..." "Lay your fingers on our bouzouki... and we'll sing a song... so that the nights we went through... may never come to a morning..." "She's been gone for a week now." "Unexpectedly." "No notice." "We haven't heard from her since." "Anything at all." "Our teardrops one by one... stopped running down..." "Oh dear mother, how freezing... this world is..." "Lay your fingers on our bouzouki... and we'll sing a song... so that the nights we went through... may never come to a morning... so that the nights we went through... may never come to a morning..." "Where's Alexis, honey?" "Where's he hiding?" "You can tell us." "We mean him no harm." "His grandma's asking for him." "His grandma's a witch and doesn't love him." "But we have to find him." "He's still very young." " His grandma has sent us." " His grandma is good." "She loves him." "Tell us where he is, honey." "Does he exist?" "Does he exist?" "He doesn't exist anymore." "He's gone!" " What's wrong with her?" " Search me!" "Let's go." "If he left here, he can't be too far." "I knew you wouldn't leave, Alexis." "When you leave, will you take me with you?" "WIII you take me to the lions, to the jungle?" "Will you take me to the rally, eh?" "I won't speak and I won't be afraid." "I do know about rallies, Alexis." " Morning, Mrs. Eleni." " Hello, doctor." "How did the child catch a cold?" "Weren't you attentive to her?" "I don't know, she was fine last night." "Don't worry." "It's not really serious." "Someone must go to the town quickly." "I'll need some bottles of serum." "Tell me, what is it, doctor?" "Nothing serious, I said." "Cold." "But we must act quickly." "Quickly, the serums, Mrs. Eleni." "Quickly, Nikos!" "Run to Dad and get into town." " Dad's far away, there's not much time." "Tell him the doctor needs serums right away!" "Run!" " What ls It, Nikos?" " I'm off to the building site." " But that's 20 kms away!" " I know, we must get serums." "Please, boys, keep an eye on things here." "Alexis, are you scared?" "No." "Why did you take the car?" "Are you crazy?" " Get in, Nikos!" " Come on!" "Run, Nikos!" "Chime the gate bell!" "Why didn't you take me to Dad?" "Where did you bring us?" "You hear what I'm saying?" "This is the reformatory." "They have doctors in." "Go on, then!" "You phoney racer!" "Why did you lie If you didn't know how to drive, liar, liar, runaway!" "Mihalis..." "I'm sorry." "But I had to." "For Maria's sake." "What will my Dad say now?" "Circus THE JUNGLE" "Mommy..." "Mrs. Eleni, Maria's woken up!" "My little girl!" "Are you alright, honey?" " Mommy..." " Yes, darling!" "Tell mommy, what is it?" "Where's Alexis?" "He's with Nikos and his friends playing." "He'll soon be here, you'll see." "Does he eat his meals?" "He eats all his food." "He leaves none of it." "In fact he took the car and brought you a doctor, he's a first-class driver!" "A first-class driver." "He can use the first and second gear." "And when he grows up he'll race at the rallies." " Mommy..." " Yes, darling?" " Will you let me go to the rallies with him?" " Yes, darling!" "You'll go wherever you like." "With him." "To the jungle, too?" "To the lions?" " Yes, to the jungle and the lions, too." "The'; 53'!" "That his grandma knows all stories about birds." "His grandma knows everything." "Mommy..." "Perhaps she knows if Scops Owl will ever find his little brother?" "She knows that, darling." "Alexis said so." "Very soon... he'll find him." "You needn't have worried, you see?" "Indeed, nothing happened to it." " Not even a scratch!" " Come, have a smoke." "But how come?" "They really got off easy with this." "Looks like he's a cool-headed young man." "Not a scratch, did you hear that?" " Is she asleep?" " She's asleep." " Has she eaten anything?" " No." "Whenever she wakes, she always asks me if Alexis has eaten, you realize that, Anna?" "I cannot lie to her anymore." " In a few days she'll forget it all." " You always speak like that, Grigoris." "But not everything is easy." " What do you mean by that?" "I don't know." "Anyway, we should try to do something about this boy." "You might say you owe him something, Grigoris." "Sure I acknowledge that." "But what am I supposed to do?" "First of all, we should find his hidaway then look for his mother." " You find it difficult?" " How would I know?" "She's a dancer, I hear." "His father an actor." "Divorced." "He lives with his grandma, which means a wrecked household for years." "Tell me, what could I possibly do about it?" "I'm not worried about that boy, though." "He'll find his way of living." "I lived the same way once." "That's how I started out." "Maria?" "I fell asleep for a little while." "Where 've you been?" "I came to say goodbye, Maria." "I'm leaving in the morning." "Do you like children, Alexis?" "Mother hasn't come yet, Maria." "She may have not received my letter." "She may not want me any more." "Have you eaten?" "I'm not hungry." " Won't you eat?" " I'm not hungry." "You eat." "When I find mother, I'll ask her to let me come and see you." "I don't want you to be sad." " I'm not sad." "Maria," "I drove a car downhill." "I know." "I was scared all alone in the chapel at night." "That's where I was hiding." "You see?" "When you're alone, you're a little scared, right?" "Alexis..." "When you came in did you kiss me?" "Yes." "I kissed you." "I knew it." "I dreamed of it." "Grandma says that what we see In our sleep is true." "When Mom came on Sundays to take me for a walk" "I called her from the kitchen" ""Did you dream of me so early in the morning?"" "Mom used to cry every time she came to pick me up." "But now I believe she's forgotten me, too." "That she doesn't love me anymore." "Maria?" "Would you like us... to get married when we grow up?" "The big circus is coming to our town!" ""The wild lion of Africa"" "Come, Alexis!" "Come, Alexis, I hurt myself!" "Come, Alexis!" "I hurt myself." "Mother is here, Alexis." " What?" " Your mother has come, Alexis!" "My mother?" "My boy!" "Where have you been, eh?" "Where?" "Mommy, why haven't you come all this time?" "I've written to you." "You have?" "I never got your little letter." "My boy!" "Don't cry." "You see?" "I'm not crying." "I'll be back, Maria." "In a few days I will." "You want me to?" "Will you be waiting for me?" "How pretty you are, lady!" "Just like in the photograph." "My little girl." "Mommy?" "Shall we come and see Maria on Sunday?" "Yes, my boy." "We'll come whenever you want." "My little girl!" "Let's go, Vassilis, please."