30 November 2009

Landed in Thessaloniki. I was on the highway to Halkidiki. Final destination: Neo Risio. Blasting Sisters of Mercy on cassette. Had the heat on and the windows down. Always loved how that felt with sun and storm roaring down the stretch like horses neck-and-neck but good luck finding a mint julep and a Thanksgiving Parade in Thessaloniki. Diamonds hidden in Easter bonnets. Piece of paper shoved into the sun visor read: “Place scrap in crucible. Turn on acetylene torch. Point at gold until melted.” I specifically chose this car because it was the only one with a tape deck. Must’ve been the guy who rented it out before me that loved cassettes and melting scrap pinky rings into gold ingots. The bridge turned like a chameleon from sky blue to slate, silver and steel to match the fading grayscale sky. Somehow the sun still roared that peculiar glow when without a watch you wouldn’t ever know if it were dawn or dusk; newspaper or chamomile tea. The dashboard rattled. It was a text message from Eve: “After the tongue, our fingertips are the most sensitive part of our bodies.” I’d kill for a cold apple juice right about now. OK, here comes Neo Risio, 3 klicks. Almost there. I pulled into the driveway and Patricia was still singing.

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