Cruel Summer (4 page)
L8R
Colby
P.S. Oh yah—almost 4got 2 tell U I’m starting a blog so u guyz can c my pics & stuff! So stop by & ck it out & don’t 4get 2 tell Levi!
Cruel Summer
Blogger Profile:
Name—Colby Catherine (Cat)
Age—17
Gender—Just a girl
Sign—Peace
Industry—Adolescence
Occupation—Prisoner of Greece
Location—Tinos via sunny CA
About me:
I’m a seventeen-yr-old girl who’s being punished by her parents. Banished from everything she knows and loves and packed off to spend the summer on a Greek island—which, trust me, is far worse than you could ever imagine.
The purpose of this blog is so that I can document the most horrible summer of my whole entire life, and share a few photos (think of it as evidence!) along the way.
Interests—Going home immediately!
Favorite Movie—Best movie ever, hands down, I don’t care if it’s old—
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
. Even though the ending in the book version is actually way more realistic than the movie version, because it’s not all sappy and sweet, and is more like real life and not how Hollywood likes to portray real life. But still, either way, Holly Golightly kicks ass!
Favorite Song—Um, this changes all the time, though my all-time favorite would probably be that song “Breathe” (don’t judge me!) because it pretty much sums up my view of life, which is: bad things happen, people betray you, mistakes are made, parents divorce, and in the end there’s nothing you can do to erase it, you can’t rewind, can’t go back, the only thing you can do is breathe. (And if you can’t even do that then it really doesn’t matter anyway, does it?) And no, I’m not being negative, just realistic.
Favorite Book—Other than
Breakfast at
Tiffany’s
, I have to say that I love to read just about anything and everything except for those
BORING
, wordy, never-ending novels written by old dead Russians that English teachers just love to assign and make you write papers on! But other than that, it’s (mostly) all good!
Cruel Summer
June 20
Um, testing, 1, 2, 3, testing…Okay, so this is the official kickoff to my summer blogging project where I will share all of the occasionally awesome, but probably mostly horrific and boring things I’m doing and experiencing here on the Greek island of Tinos, which is famous for its religious pilgrims and superdeluxe dove condos but not much else.
But since, so far, I really haven’t done much of anything (I mean, unpacking, sleeping, and searching for a place to log on isn’t really worth writing about), I’ve decided to share a few pictures instead, so you can get an idea of what I’m dealing with here.
Ready? Here goes:
1) That’s the outside of my aunt Tally’s house where I’m staying. And believe it or not, they all pretty much look exactly like that. Seriously, they’re all boxy, with white walls and colored doors and shutters, and they’re all really stark and simple and no-nonsense. Which is pretty much the exact opposite of what I’m used to seeing back home.
2) That’s my room—again, notice all the white. They’re really big on white here. Though luckily that bed is more comfortable than it looks. I mean, it’s way more narrow than my bed at home, but at least the pillow is halfway decent. Also, notice the evil-eye pendant hanging over my bed? That’s so I don’t get “eye sick.” You know, cursed by a jealous, hateful person with bad intent (which believe it or not, is something the locals take as a serious threat to one’s overall well-being). And all I can say to that is:
IF YOU’RE CRAZY ENOUGH TO BE JEALOUS OF ME, THEN YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO WEAR MY SHOES AND TRADE PLACES SO I CAN GO HOME AND GET BACK TO MY REGULARLY SCHEDULED LIFE!3) If you think you’re just looking at a photo of an old lady dressed all in black, and riding a donkey, then look again. Notice the basket hanging off the side of the donkey’s butt? Guess what? It’s filled with eggs. That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, this is how you buy your eggs in Tinos. Via donkey. Delivered fresh, right to your door.
4) See that orangey-looking, round, runny lump? That’s an egg yolk. Have you ever seen such a color? I know I haven’t.
5) That’s a picture of the Internet café where I’ll be spending most all of my free time, sending e-mails, surfing the Net, and writing this blog. Notice the white walls and green shutters, then go back and reread #1 so you’ll know that everything you read in this blog is legitimate and true and I’m not making anything up.
6) That’s the table where I always sit and drink my Nescafé frappe—which is kind of like a foamy, prehistoric Starbucks-type drink, only not near as good, though I am getting used to it. Mostly because I have no choice. Just like I’m trying to get used to everything around here because trust me, everything is really weird and different and, well,
FOREIGN
. And even though I know that’s pretty much the whole point of traveling to another country, please keep in mind that I didn’t exactly beg to come here. I was perfectly fine and happy at home, and I really wasn’t looking for any new experiences.7) This is the chair I sit on while I surf the Net, send e-mails, write letters and postcards, and blog. Notice how it’s made of wood, which, by the way, makes it
VERY
uncomfortable after more than two hours of sitting. And I should know, since I’ve already done some major butt-in-chair time (see above about how I spend most all my free time). To the point where I’m actually thinking about bringing my own cushion in, since Petros refuses to provide one for me.8) That’s a picture of Petros, he’s the owner of this café. You’d think he’d be glad to have some regular business for a change, but every morning when I come in, he takes one look at me, shakes his head, and says, “You are too white. You must to go outside and get some color. This is not good, not healthy.” And then I tell him how that’s really no way to treat your best customer, and to please bring me a frappe because I have an Internet life to get back to. Then we both laugh, and he brings me my drink, but it’s pretty obvious that he really wasn’t joking and he seriously does not approve.
9) That’s a picture of my aunt Tally’s shop. It’s right here in town, just a few doors down, at the end of the street. She makes jewelry and T-shirts and sells them to tourists. She also has some of her boyfriend’s (Tassos’s) pottery and sculptures in there as well, but only a few pieces since the shop is kind of small as you can see. Only I haven’t met him yet because he’s out of town. And I don’t hang in her shop all that much anyway because it’s usually pretty busy and I just end up feeling like I’m in the way.
10) That’s my aunt Tally sitting on her terrace watching the sunset and having a glass of wine. Most of the sunsets here are really stunning like that—like a blaze of purple, orange, and red, streaking the sky before dropping into the sea. But you get used to it pretty quick.
11) That’s a picture of the Meltemi wind. Yes, the wind is so strong here that not only does it have a name, but you can actually photograph it. Just look at those swaying shrubs and giant swirls of dirt. Well, just so you know, it blows like this practically every day! Aunt Tally refers to it as “nature’s air-conditioning” and says I’ll be sweating big-time when it stops. All I know is that I want it to stop.
12) Oops, there is no #12. Aren’t you glad? Because this blog is truly
PATHETIC,
believe me, I know.
But please stay tuned, because you never know, it just might get better (though I seriously doubt it!).
Comment me! (Please!)
Colby
June 21
Dear Tally,
Sorry, but no beach for me today, I’m off to the café.
Hope you have a good day—
Love,
Colby
June 21
To: AmandaStar
From: ColbyCat
Re: Hey!
OMG, those pics U sent frm ur party R HILARIOUS! They made me soooo homesick! And no, Petros from the café is so NOT my boyfriend, bcuz plz, he’s like 40, & trst me there’s way hotter guyz here! And also no, most of the guys here don’t have mustaches like that, it’s mostly just the old ones.
Spkg of—Jus Idering if UV heard NEthing from Levi? Did U give him my e-mail? And do U no if he’s still maybe coming here on that cruise? If U talk to him tell him 2 msg me, k? Bcuz IM going completely crazy here with no car, no phone, no good shops, no fast food, etc. etc. etc. and I really need 2 b in touch w/all my friends cuz I feel like I’m so far away it’s like I’m on another planet!
Also, who was that girl with him in that one pic? U no by the pool? Do we know her? Bcuz it looked like she wuz all over him.
Okay, got 2 go—miss u!
Colby
Colby’s Journal for Desperate Times Like When the Electricity Goes Out for So Long the Internet Café Closes for an Even Earlier Siesta Than Usual
June 21
Um, excuse me, but am I the only one around here who’s concerned by the way the hot water just inexplicably runs out in the middle of my shower, how the electricity works only when it wants (which is hardly ever), and how just about everything in this crazy place shuts down between the hours of two and five?
Because earlier today, I was in the café, blogging my heart out and minding my own business, when all of a sudden____________________________________________.
That’s right, lights out, computer dead (as was my battery), I mean, a total flatline, code-blue moment. And not only did I lose my blog in progress (which was brilliant by the way, I mean, seriously the best thing I’ve ever written, not that anyone will ever see it now), but when I looked at Petros and raised both hands in the air, mimicking the international sign for—
What the heck?
all he did was shrug and say, “No problem, no problem, relax, it comes back.”
And after what seemed like an hour of “relaxing,” it still wasn’t back. But he didn’t seem too upset. Actually, he almost seemed happy, because he just kicked me out—seriously, he just walked right up to me, grabbed me by the sleeve, and dragged me to the door (with a big smile on his face the whole entire time I might add!). Then he flipped the sign over from
OPEN TO CLOSED
(well, it’s in Greek, but I assume that’s what it says), pushed me outside, locked the door, and I just stood in the middle of the road, in a complete state of shock, watching as he practically skipped down the street, happy to be on his way to doing whatever the heck he does between the hours of two and five.
And since I haven’t really been here all that long, I really didn’t know what to do with myself. I mean, usually I pretty much just spend my days going back and forth from my room at my aunt’s to the café. But this time, for whatever reason, I felt like taking a walk. So I wandered along the harbor and was thinking about stopping for yet another frappe at one of those cute little outdoor cafés, but since I didn’t really feel comfortable with the idea of sitting all by myself like a big, lonely, friendless loser (even though I am), I decided to stop by my aunt Tally’s shop where she sells all the jewelry and stuff she makes for tourists. But even though she seemed happy enough to see me, it was obvious she was really busy, so I just waved good-bye and headed back home, staring across the harbor, gazing at Mykonos, knowing just by looking that they had no shortage of electricity over there, while wondering, yet again, why,
WHY
did I have to get stuck in this awful, primitive place?
And just as I was walking along the narrow dirt road that leads to the house, these two guys rode by on this old beat-up Vespa, coming so close they practically sideswiped me. Seriously, I could actually feel one of their sleeves brush right against mine as they passed. And just as I was about to yell something, the guy who was riding on the back turned and smiled.
And I stopped in my tracks and stared, knowing I recognized him from somewhere. But from where I couldn’t imagine, because it’s not like I really go anywhere outside of my aunt’s house and the café, which also means I don’t really know anyone other than Tally and Petros.
But it wasn’t until I was back in my room, lying on my bed and gazing out the window that I realized it was the cute guy I saw on the boat.
June 22
Dear Mom,
I know Dad moved out but since I don’t have his address yet (probably because he still hasn’t sent it) I’m hoping that you or your lawyer (yes, I got your letter about how you and Dad are only speaking via legal counsel) can pass this on when you’re finished.
And just in case you’re at all curious, I
have
been to the beach on the front of this postcard, and that’s pretty much what it looks like—no shops, no bars, no restaurants, no boardwalk—nothing but sand and water. Though I guess it’s still kind of pretty—if you like barren landscapes, like that.
Please don’t forget to pass this on to Dad, okay?
Love,
Your daughter who is doing her best to adjust to the lot you have given her,
Colby
