Ugh

I hadn’t been to the waterfront Tarpon Springs in a couple of months. It was early Saturday morning. Since the snowbirds and tourist haven’t returned in full bloom to the tiny Greek community it is still possible to wander aimlessly back and forth across the street and not get hit by a car. I had a mission of sorts: look for a wedding present, a Halloween costume and Christmas presents. Since I am not a shopper I’d combine the task into one recon to gift shops.

I had more success finding Halloween costumes if I wanted to be a Greek fisherman, gypsy or belly dancer.My stomach flab dances quite nicely on its own so I passed on the belly dancer and opted to let Nancy cover me with the Halloween costume needed for a wedding at the end of October. Yup, a wedding. I got a few Christmas ideas but didn’t have much luck with the wedding gift. But when Tina Caros gets married in May, well I’m loaded with ideas.

The stroll up and down the street and all that poking in and out of the shops, smiling at store clerks who for the most part were disinterested in engaging in conversation or commerce left me hungry. Time for Santorini’s a Greek restaurant on the Anclote River. I had in mind a Greek salad, but when the menu came I remembered a wonderful creation call Pasa Dava, a lamb dish. however, I wasn’t that hungry so I selected the Greek grouper sandwich.

Delicious, except before I got home my stomach was under revolt and the head didn't feel none too good either. Maybe it was the tartar sauce.

As I sat on the table overlooking the water I thought a lot about my life. (How many times have I sat looking at the surface of water and lost myself in thought?)The pondering was most likely spawned by the death of Murphy Lipai. Pohnpei and Peace Corps seemed so far way. I wanted to go back there for the first time since leaving but can't cough up $2700 for the airfare.

I picked up the salt and pepper shakers—both products imported from Greece. How come Micronesia doesn’t do this? How come I don’t do it? Suddenly I was thinking like a business person again, something I haven’t done in sometime. I liked it.

Too bad David, my business partner, doesn’t read my blogs…he is going to miss the opportunity of my weakness and the chance to lure me back to the real world.

Had to be the food, the bathroom is calling. It is a good reality check. Remember my first three months in Micronesia...daily diarrhea.