It's 1930 and Prohibition is underway. Two rival gangs, the Olympians and the Titians, fight for control of New York City. Caught up in this battle is a young bootlegger named Percy Jackson, in love with a brilliant and beautiful architect named An...
I had called Calypso the night before and asked her to meet me at the Marinos Deli. She was already there by the time I arrived and buying a dozen pastries. "What kind of pastry is that?" I asked her. Calypso smiled at me. Her smile was warm and radiant, like the first rays of the sun at dawn. "It's called a bougatsa," she replied, "They're delicious." A bougatsa appeared to be orange custard wrapped up in phyllo dough and sprinkled with powdered sugar.
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"Not as delicious as you, I imagine." I leaned in and kissed her cheek; she giggled. Calypso indeed looked delicious, in her blue plaid frock with a white middy collar, and floppy white cloche tied with a navy blue ribbon.
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"What'll it be?" Amphitrite Marinos asked me from behind the counter. "Large coffee," I replied, "Black." Amphitrite walked away to get my coffee. Her son, Triton, approached Calypso. "Nice to see you again, doll-face," he said, "Did you miss me?" Calypso rolled her eyes. "I missed your Ma's cooking," she said. Amphitrite returned with my coffee which I exchanged a quarter for. "Would you like to sit out on the patio?" I asked Calypso. "Of course," she answered, "Its a beautiful day." "It's gonna be a hot one today. But it's not too bad right now."
Calypso and I had our coffee and bougatsa out on the patio. I waited for the right moment to bring up what I had wanted to talk about. "I'm leaving for another rum run this weekend," I told her, "This should be the last one. I'll have the money to finally pay off my debt to old Zeus." "You were never cut out for that life," she said, "And now you'll finally be free of it." "What d'you mean, I was never cut out for that life?" "It means that I worry about you too much." "That makes no sense." "No, it makes perfect sense." The two of us started laughing. "Well after this weekend, I will be free, free to start over. When I get back, why don't we leave New York behind forever? We'll find a place in the country and open up Leo and Calypso's Garage." "Are you serious?" "Like the plague, Sunshine." "Be serious, Leo. Too many men have made me promises they didn't keep." "I'll call you when I get back and we'll figure things out. I'll be back for you, Calypso. I swear it on the River Styx."
