‘œYou know, Walter, It took a remarkable incident to teach me that car- hire in Greece is far from what you’™d expect in, say, European countries.’
‘œAnton’™s out of the blue statement surprised me somewhat.’  We were standing in front of a travel agent’™s window looking at enticing places in the world to visit, my imagination making wonders out of the forests and beaches of Mauritius.’  I turned to my friend,’  who was eyeing a poster in the corner of the display window of the glory of Athens: the Acropolis and Greek islands – all very colourful and attractive.
‘œSo what’™s all this about car- hire in Greece, Anton?’ Knowing my friend well, I was certain that’  he was on the brink of a story.’  He was a great teller of tales many of which were embellished by his not infertile imagination.’  I waited.
‘œIt happened some sixteen years ago, Walter.’  Not long before we became friends. February it was and the pressure at work had become such that I felt I had to become unofficially and suddenly ill for a week.’  I made a break for it, packed a suitcase and took the next flight out to Athens,’  Celia promising that she would keep the wolves at bay till I got back.
‘œIn contrast to the grey sleet of London, the weather in Greece, though chilly, was absolutely glorious; the sky, the blue of a child’™s marble; the early spring made the countryside green and sparkling.’  After booking in at a hotel with a grand view of the amphitheatre from my window,’  I had a thought that this time I would do something different.’  I would take a drive into the mountains.’  I wanted to be alone.’  Wanted to allow the turbulence of a hectic period settle back to normal.
‘œThe hotel receptionist said that the good weather would hold until the morrow and directed me to the nearest car hire.
‘œThe weather, being so glorious, most of the cars at the hire firm were out on the road and the Cortina offered was not what I would consider a prime choice.’  But it was the only convertible there was and I so wanted to feel free in the sun. Intent on my plan, and being promised that the car was a very reliable one, I settled for it and was soon on my way.
‘œThe fresh and invigorating wind on my face was as wonderful as the day.’  I headed for’  the hills on the road that would take me to Pharsala, some sixty miles from Athens.’  That drive would be the very thing needed for my nerves and confused mind.’  From the famous pass of Thermopylee I passed down to the beautiful and verdant’  valley of Sperkios, enjoying every moment of this isolation from society.
‘œI reminded myself of the name the hotel manager had insisted that I jot down.’  ‘œAt Pharsala,’ he had said with a smile that seemed to hold a hundred teeth, ‘œyou go to Alexis. Alexis’  he my good friend.’  Restaurant is best – and cheep.’  You order wine.’  Red wine.’  Is best you ever have.’’  I smiled to myself as I continued up into the hills the car behaving superbly.
‘œAlexis, the wine, food and fabulous view of the mountains to the’  west was a continuation of all the superlatives I had had that day.’  It was as I sipped my coffee that, quite suddenly, dark grey cumulous clouds appeared.’  They were scudding with a vigour towards us that conjured up in my mind the approach of the Spanish Armada to England’™s shores. A quick get- away was called for.
‘œI hurried, thanking Alexis warmly, when the restaurant owner, always ready to be helpful, caught my sleeve saying: ‘œTake short road. It old but good. Maybe you come Atinai before rain begin.’  Careful for bridge,’ he added. His smile was encouraging as he gave me instructions to find the turning.’  I put up and fastened the folding roof’  which, I was sorry then to learn, was in tired and tattered condition.
‘œI had covered about half of the sixty miles when the pattering began.’  And what began as a patter soon became a deluge.’  Sheets of water streamed down the windscreen not a little of which dripped onto my bare knees and down my legs.’  The cold was sudden and swift.’  Each wiper, though endeavouring as valiantly as any Greek warrior or Olympic champion to give me vision, failed miserably against the odds.’  I had to slow considerably.
‘œI came to the sign of which Alexis had spoken and decided that a shortening of the distance would be welcome.’  I would risk it.’  It turned out that the road was not in bad shape at all and’  progress’  was good until the approaches of the Hellada river.
‘œCareful for bridge.’’ ‘  I recalled Alexis’™ words as the car dipped into the valley.’  Here it was; a steep decent with sharp and sudden turns.’  It was just such a surprise turn that swung me sharply to the right and, quite unexpectedly, onto a narrow bridge of steel and wood.’  It was narrow – for a single line of cars and carried the traffic over a deep gorge.’  The wet, wooden planks were slippery and the car began an almost uncontrollable skid which, by more luck than skill, I eventually managed to bring under control.’  It was then that I became aware that the engine had died.’  I brought the car to a stop.’  The long sigh I released was as much of exasperation as it was of relief and almost matched that which I heard from beneath the bonnet.
‘œI became aware now of a boiling noise emanating from the cover.’  I glanced at the heat gauge. It was on’  the red!’ ‘  I had been too busy watching the road to notice the rising needle.’ ‘  ‘œProbably a leak in the radiator!’. I thought to myself.’  ‘œWhat luck!,’ I became bitter at the thought that I would just have to wait for help.
‘œI turned on the radio for whatever comfort it might give while the car interior and I became colder and drearier by the minute.’  The comfort of my warm hotel room in Athens, a hot shower and a tasty meal seemed light years away.
‘œI had not met a single car on this short cut and wondered if I could count on getting a lift at all.’ ‘  Visibility was only some thirty yards and I could see neither to the far end of the bridge nor to the bottom of the gorge. It gave me an eerie feeling of being in the middle of nowhere suspended in a wet and miserable world half way across an abyss. Some twenty minutes past in cold discomfort.’  Then’  a sudden flash of lights immediately attracted my attention.’  In the mirror, I squinted through the drops on the rear’  window.’  The car coming fast down the sharp curves of the hill I felt would never make it safely around that bend onto the bridge.’  Greek drivers are way ahead of the French and Italians.’  They are fast, wild and unpredictable … and my car was blocking the pass!
‘œThe car swung around the corner and at once began a series of crazy antics just as my car had done.’  The driver, noticing the lights of my stalled car, began endeavouring to control his uncontrollably skidding car and bring it to a stop before he hit me.’  Watching his approach, my mind was going through not dissimilar antics of terror.
‘œBy some miracle of the Gods that keep Greek drivers’  on the roads and driving, his enormous black Pontiac stopped with only a slight thump to my rear bumper.’  In a trice out of the car stepped a huge bear of a man.’  Fury was written all over his face. Ever seen a Greek really angry, Walter? I opened’  the window of my car to face both storms.
‘œHis heavy black brows and moustache added weight to a stream of epithets that, though Greek to me, were unmistakable in their purport.’  I used a pause for breath to break in and in my best English said:’  ‘œI’™m terribly sorry, but my car broke down.’  Would you be so kind and help me push it to the other side?’  Perhaps, too, a lift to Athens?’
‘œThe change that came over the man was a miracle to see.’  The air went out of him like from a pricked balloon. He even smiled broadly.
‘œOf course I not think you watch scene or take night air,’ he said almost kindly.’  ‘œBroke down, eh?’  Here, middle of bridge!,’ He guffawed loudly then, controlling his burst of laughter added in seriously,’  ‘œ0f course I take to Athinai.’
‘œI opened the door and he got in out of the rain rolling up the window and heaving a great sigh as he did so.’  He took a card from his pocket which he handed me.
‘œWith a light laugh and knowing wink’  he added,’  ‘œNext time, eh?’
Relieved at the sudden turn of events to the better, I looked with curiosity at the card in the cabin light.’  It read:

Leon Papadopolous.
Car Hire.
In case of break down -full refund.

‘œMy shorts cold and clinging to my legs, it was now my turn to laugh’  but, I must say,’  mine had a very hollow ring to it.’