Boozin

I continued my walk by heading into the commercial center of Kalambaka. The main street was full of souvenir and clothing shops which I was surprised to find open on a Sunday. About halfway up the main street I heard a voice yelling out my name. Down one of the side streets I saw Jim Aspros sitting at a little picnic table just outside this mini-market. He shouted that he'd buy me a beer so of course, I headed that way. He took me into the tiny little store, walked up to the front counter and started yammering away in fluent Greek. The young check-out girl reached under the counter and pulled-out a half liter bottle of Alpha beer. She and Jim kept yukking it up and acting like schoolyard chums. What really surprised me was when Jim gave her a one Euro coin, she gave him change! He told me the beers were only .75. We went and sat outside. We spent the rest of the afternoon drinking Alphas while I listened to his stories. When we drained our bottles we'd go back in the store where Jim would buy a couple more then regal the cashier with the Greek translation of his anecdotes. Then he spotted a big watermelon. When he learned it cost only 3 Euro he decided he had to have it. He carried it around with him for the rest of the trip. Every day when we left the bus, Jim would tuck the melon under his arm, grab his suitcases and trek off to his hotel room. A couple times while we were sitting in the bus we'd see the watermelon rolling down the aisle. He never ate it and ended-up throwing it away in Athens.