Bit by bit

Always used to watch the gargantuan Crete-bound ships, departing one gate down from the dwarfed Chios vessels, with a touch of wistfulness, curiosity. They were bound for the southernmost part of Greece, the mythical isolated proud autonomous Megalonissos (Large island). They seemed more special, somehow, towering bulk of self-importance impossible to ignore, like their destination itself- hiding secrets the uninitiated could not hope to guess at or fathom. One such titan glided smoothly into the night as it sliced dark waters southbound, chased by foam white. Distant ships, distant shores twinkling orange-yellow-white, beckoning, winking, teasing. Inviting.

Felt like paradise, beach-moment yesterday. Alone at beach bar, honey through the speakers: Reed, Stones, Stevens, Dylan. Count people on the beach: two, four, nine. Is all. Look up, restless configurations of cloud and sky, brights and grays. Down at the sand on my toes, beach glass brown blue clear green nestled in paper cup. Left, right, empty deckchairs and yellow umbrellas, shifting light and shadows, sand and quiet, kilometers of snaking beach, embraced by soft waves. Looming mountains reach up to clouds in elaborate flirtations. Out, sea as vast as eyes can reach- until it marries the sky in clean line of blues.

Sweet autumn kisses Athens, with afternoon sprinkles and cool evenings. It’s still summer on Crete. Free from fear of talk and judgment, consideration of others, schedules, restraints. Blissfully alone. Sometimes wonder whether a hand to hold, to envelop mine, could possibly enhance some of this, all this. Then I catch a breeze to follow and I forget and relish. This can be as good as it can get. Easily.

I could stay here for a while.