The Summer of '93

The eagle has landed

We parked on the street outside his apartment and I floated behind him upstairs (I was in his home!!!) and watched him carefully as he turned the key and opened the door. I know this was a bit obsessive but I had imagined being alone with him, this moment played out in my mind, over and over. Every time you go into someone's home when the door opens you get a sense of smell of them. Yes it was shared by students but even so, it was his retreat after University and I was in his world. How lucky was I! Despite me being so grateful for him letting me stay with him and loving the quirky lofty view from his compact and bijou flat with the skylights and roof angles he kept apologising for it all the time. I really couldn't work out why. It was clean, traditional and quaint. I was grateful and literally felt on top of the world in that top floor room.

"This will be your room during your stay." He announced as I shuffled in behind him.

'You're so tidy and organised!' I exclaimed. He was!

He responded with a wide grin and laughter.

To describe his room - it had a slanted ceiling with a skylight window. There was a wardrobe to the right as soon as you came through the door with a poster tacked to it covering his love of basket ball. To the left was a small sink with a glass shelf with Paco Rabanne (mmm...so that was what It was! Dionisis smelt good, citrusy and of sandalwood.) The wall had small pictures of home to them in frameless frames.  To the right was a stylish bookshelf with a photo of his Father in what looked like number 1s with a peak cap and whites. My eyes explored the depths of him I had yet to get to know. My brain took it all in like a sponge. The rest were orderly spines of books lined up tidily. The hint of the fragrance of polish punctuated the air.

"I need to find a little home for my rose." I confided. "Would I be able to have a glass for it?"

"Of course!" He replied and disappeared, returning promptly with one from the kitchen.

"It's so beautiful!" and he smiled again. It was plump and red and full of zesty life. It found its home on the beside table.

Across from that was his bed and he had a night set of drawers topped with an alarm clock.

I shyly placed my bag on the floor, next to his bed. I can make a mess in an empty room. I blame my creative streak. I felt a bit awkward.

"You must be hungry?" he half asked.
"It was an early start, yes". I confided.

"Ok then, let's go and get some shopping." Ooh, I thought, we're being so adult and playing house! bring it on. I waited until his back was turned and waved my hands in excitement of it all going so well and grinned happily to myself. 

"This will be interesting, it will be like a language exercise, trying to remember all I have tried to learn recently and Deutschmarks too!" I laughed.

He took me for lunch and after doing some shopping in the tiny supermarket down from his street – bear in mind I didn't really know this man and I was a bit apprehensive about staying with him for so long. Despite us both being so overly polite during shopping with questions like "do you like these?" it was surprisingly effortless. However it did not have everything so we went to another. Dionisis was obviously very nervous around girls, especially me (a trait I shared with him with my general shyness) because he was constantly making me giggle without trying; he kept trying to damage himself! Whilst holding the door open for me, he had nearly walked into someone leaving the shop, his shopping basket nearly knocked over the display in the shop and I glanced at Dionisis as he tripped over the pavement on the way back. We caught each other's gaze and I smiled a reassuring smile to him. Our eyes locked.

"Oops!" He commented, and laughed, "I am trying to kill myself today!"

I smiled a knowing smile. "That's a normal day for me!" I empathised.