Grandpa

For my grandpa (who died on March 18, 2005).....

I remember when he organized my first exhibition.

(I was around six, I was painting a lot and one day he had the idea of organizing an exhibition. He used the corridor of my home, he hang all my work on the walls and friends were visiting and buying my art!)

I remember the big walks we were having (just the two of us) in the nature around the house where I grew up.

I remember the "apricot kernel mountain".

(This was a one meter tall "mountain" made of apricot kernels. It was located some meters away from home.)

I remember the letters we were sending to each other and the postcards he was sending me when he was on vacation.

I remember the do-it-yourself jewelry kit he bought me once.

I remember this amazing belt he had, one with a Superman buckle!

I remember the cat story (from his exile days), the chess story, the tuna story and the mathematics story he used to say.

I remember that the period he was sick and dying I eased my pain by watching movies all the time.....

.....and I remember that because of him I studied cinema.

I remember that one of his "words of wisdom" phrases was:

"If you can't always do what you want, at least don't do what you don't want".

I remember this one postcard (which I still keep) where on August 2nd he was wishing me happy birthday for my six and a half years (my birthday is on February 2nd)!

I remember the three places he used to live (all three were in the centre of Athens, he liked being in the center of the city so he could walk everywhere) and whenever I walk by one of these places I smile.

I remember many things about him and I always smile.