The North Korean ran in panic. He was lost, lost in a place far removed from his homeland. Exhausted and trembling, he slumped into a chair at an outdoor coffee shop.
"Are you lost?" said a voice.
He started. Turning to his left, he saw a man -another Asian- sitting at the table; a cup of coffee was in his right hand and a newspaper was in the other. This man was the same height as him and wore dark glasses, a wide-brimmed panama hat and white clothes: an unbuttoned shirt, tank top and trousers.
Kim Nam-ha was stunned. He thought only he and the others in the fleet were the only foreigners around. He wanted to leave, but felt compelled to stay.
"You're travelling with the Green Oceans fleet, I see," the man continued, noting Kim Nam-ha's ID.
"Yes, sir."
"Are you on vacation?"
Kim Nam-ha was nervous. Adapting to life at sea was stressful enough. Dealing with another foreigner just added to it. Sensing the distress, the stranger motioned a waiter to bring over a glass of retsina.
Tasting the wine was an exciting experience for Kim Nam-ha; he had never tried grape wine before. He began talking at length about his ordeal; how he escaped North Korea, getting his hands on Konstantiniadis' book, and wanting to live freely. And now he was lost. He had no idea how he would get back to the port.
The other man listened and smile all this time. Kim Nam-ha, his face now flushed (that was a pretty strong retsina,) ran out of steam. Depressed, he slumped forward. "But now I don't know what to do," he said. "I don't know this place and I can't think of what to do next... or where to go."
"That's easy," said the other man. "I can take you back to the pier."
"You can?" Kim Nam-ha started, his eyes wide.
"Sure," said the man. Rising, he placed a pair of SS bills on the table. "Keep the change," he said to the waiter.
"Follow me," he said, motioning to Kim Nam-ha and started walking. As Kim Nam-ha followed his new benefactor, the waiter approached the table to pick up the bills. His eyes widened at what he saw. It was enough to buy a small TV set.
"Where do you come from?" asked an astonished Kim Nam-ha. The money he saw wasn't European.
"Why do you want to know?"
"I've never been out of my country before," replied Kim Nam-ha. "And we're in Greece. I've never traveled before and I-"
"You're not comfortable meeting different people?"
"No, it's just-"
"It's alright," said the stranger reassuringly. "I had the same problem. But now I travel a lot. My work takes me places, and your time at Green Oceans will as well."
They had been going a short distance when Kim Nam-ha became even more uncomfortable. "Excuse me, sir," he said. "But are you sure we're going to the pier?"
The man pointed upward. "Look up," he said.
Kim Nam-ha looked up and saw the bow of the Embark. It glistened in the afternoon sun, and even though it was still quite a walk, the figure of the huge ship was still a sight to behold. Kim Nam-ha gasped in amazement. "Thank you, sir!" he exclaimed, running past the stranger.
As he neared the port gate, he almost forgot one thing. "I'm sorry, I just remembered," he said turning around. "What's your name?"
"It's Drake Forest," replied the stranger.
"Thank you, sir!" cried Kim Nam-ha, "Thank you Mr. Forest!"
Drake Forest turned around and waved as he headed back to town.
"Are you on vacation?"
Kim Nam-ha was nervous. Adapting to life at sea was stressful enough. Dealing with another foreigner just added to it. Sensing the distress, the stranger motioned a waiter to bring over a glass of retsina.
Tasting the wine was an exciting experience for Kim Nam-ha; he had never tried grape wine before. He began talking at length about his ordeal; how he escaped North Korea, getting his hands on Konstantiniadis' book, and wanting to live freely. And now he was lost. He had no idea how he would get back to the port.
The other man listened and smile all this time. Kim Nam-ha, his face now flushed (that was a pretty strong retsina,) ran out of steam. Depressed, he slumped forward. "But now I don't know what to do," he said. "I don't know this place and I can't think of what to do next... or where to go."
"That's easy," said the other man. "I can take you back to the pier."
"You can?" Kim Nam-ha started, his eyes wide.
"Sure," said the man. Rising, he placed a pair of SS bills on the table. "Keep the change," he said to the waiter.
"Follow me," he said, motioning to Kim Nam-ha and started walking. As Kim Nam-ha followed his new benefactor, the waiter approached the table to pick up the bills. His eyes widened at what he saw. It was enough to buy a small TV set.
"Where do you come from?" asked an astonished Kim Nam-ha. The money he saw wasn't European.
"Why do you want to know?"
"I've never been out of my country before," replied Kim Nam-ha. "And we're in Greece. I've never traveled before and I-"
"You're not comfortable meeting different people?"
"No, it's just-"
"It's alright," said the stranger reassuringly. "I had the same problem. But now I travel a lot. My work takes me places, and your time at Green Oceans will as well."
They had been going a short distance when Kim Nam-ha became even more uncomfortable. "Excuse me, sir," he said. "But are you sure we're going to the pier?"
The man pointed upward. "Look up," he said.
Kim Nam-ha looked up and saw the bow of the Embark. It glistened in the afternoon sun, and even though it was still quite a walk, the figure of the huge ship was still a sight to behold. Kim Nam-ha gasped in amazement. "Thank you, sir!" he exclaimed, running past the stranger.
As he neared the port gate, he almost forgot one thing. "I'm sorry, I just remembered," he said turning around. "What's your name?"
"It's Drake Forest," replied the stranger.
"Thank you, sir!" cried Kim Nam-ha, "Thank you Mr. Forest!"
Drake Forest turned around and waved as he headed back to town.
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