by Adam Croft
James bought another round of drinks for himself, Jennifer and Darryl, and placed the latter two’s on the table before standing at the bar and chatting to Hardwick, who was the only other holidaymaker who wasn’t dancing like a lunatic at the side of the pool.
‘Bit embarrassing, isn’t it?’ James said.
‘Not for us it isn’t,’ Hardwick said with a wry smile. ‘Your friends gone to bed, have they?’
‘Alicia has. I think Darryl’s coming back. Just wants to make sure she gets off to sleep. She’s not feeling too good, apparently.’
‘Oh dear. Nothing serious, I hope?’ Hardwick asked.
‘Oh, no. Just tiredness. Too much sun and alcohol, I reckon.’
‘Well, I hope she feels better soon.’
James was about to reply when his girlfriend tugged at his elbow like a petulant child.
‘James, am I going to be sat here on my own all night?’
‘No, sweetheart, I’m just talking to Kempston. Darryl’ll be back in a minute anyway. I won’t be long.’
The look on Jennifer’s face said it all as she flounced off back to her table.
‘Maybe you should get back to her. She doesn’t seem too happy,’ Hardwick sagely pointed out.
‘Well she’s going to have to learn to deal with it, isn’t she?’ James replied, with the air of a man who was finally starting to stand up to his tormentor. ‘Anyway, it’s a point of principle. I’m getting fed up with just having to jump every time she clicks her fingers. Maybe it’s the drink talking, but I’m standing my ground. I want to talk to you, and that’s that.’
‘Very well,’ Hardwick said. ‘Another drink, then?’
9
Barely twenty-five minutes later, at around ten-thirty, Jennifer had decided enough was enough, polished off her drink and marched off back towards their apartment, having delivered James a parting shot of: ‘Well, I’m not just going to sit here on my own like some sort of loser.’
Hardwick had already formed his own thoughts on Jennifer, as he so often and so quickly did with people, but nonetheless felt it necessary to probe a little further into their relationship now that James had been suitably lubricated with drink.
‘Does she always speak to you like that?’ he asked.
‘Yep. And worse. She’s used to getting her own way. An only child. Her parents spoilt her rotten. They were told they’d never be able to have children, so when she came along they treated her like she was some sort of goddess. Problem is, she still thinks she is one. She’s got no friends left, other than Alicia, and that’s only because she’s a mouse, like me. We don’t stand up for ourselves and she knows it, so she ends up walking all over us.’
‘I presume you’re happy with her, though?’ Hardwick asked.
‘I guess so. I don’t really know. Truth be told, we’ve been together since high school so I guess I just don’t know any different. Things happen gradually, don’t they? It’s only when you look back and see the person you used to be and the person you are now that you realise what massive changes have happened without you even noticing. It’s the same with Alicia — she’s known her since they were kids, but Alicia’s always been quiet.’
‘Does Darryl not get upset with her treating Alicia badly?’
‘I dunno. I try not to speak to him, so I can’t say. But he’s just as bad — pig-headed and arrogant, so he probably doesn’t see that there’s anything wrong with her.’
‘Sounds like Darryl and Jennifer should be the couple to me,’ Hardwick said, before stopping, realising what he’d just said.
‘Don’t worry about it,’ James said, sensing Hardwick’s discomfort. ‘No offence taken. It’s a no-go, though. I think the world would end if those two ever got together. I think they’d need to live in a padded house.’
‘There’s an age difference between them, isn’t there?’ Hardwick asked.
‘Yeah, about ten years or so. Darryl’s always had younger girlfriends, though, from what I’ve heard. Sort of bloke who’s never ready to grow up and settle down. Bit of a drifter, a waster.’
‘What does he do for work?’
‘Whatever he needs to to get enough money. He’s not exactly a career bloke. He’s worked in pubs, done labouring, bit of delivery driving. Means to an end for him, I suppose. Alicia’s the career-driven one. She’s always worked in banking. Not city-level stuff, like — just local branch stuff.’
A few minutes later the conversation had started to die down and the events of the evening were clearly playing on James’s mind.
‘Listen,’ he said. ‘I’d better go and check on her. Make sure she’s all right.’ Spotting Hardwick’s raised eyebrow, he added: ‘I’ll come back in a bit. Just want to try and make sure she’s not going to be pissed off forever. I’ve got to spend another week cooped up here with her, after all.’
James took a sip of his beer, leaving half a pint sat on the bar as a gesture of his impending return, and walked back towards the apartment.
Left only with Arjun, the Albanian barman and the rejects from Come Dancing, Hardwick finally decided to strike up conversation with the semi-reclined Arjun.
‘Do you live here all year round, then?’
‘No,’ Arjun replied. ‘I go back to Albania in winter. I work on building sites. My father has business there. There are a lot of new houses being built in Albania. Also a lot of hotels in tourist areas.’
‘Oh right. And do they pay you well here?’
‘Not too bad. Stavros gives me apartment for summer and I take percentage from drinks here. In my town in Albania is no building in summer. Is too hot, and everyone is being involved in tourism.’
‘What town’s that?’ Hardwick asked curiously, being the well-traveled man that he was.
‘Sarandë, in the south. Since the civil war we have had many tourists now, enjoying the weather and culture. Is also a tourist area, but money is more here.’
‘I see. You enjoy it, then?’
‘Is OK. Sometimes is fun, sometimes is not so much,’ Arjun said, gesticulating towards the apartment block.
‘Ah, right. The guests,’ Hardwick deduced.
‘No!’ Arjun said forcefully, as if Hardwick had said something terribly wrong. ‘The guests are fantastic. Problem is owner.’ Hardwick’s raised eyebrow signalled that Arjun should continue. ‘This place is earning no money for years, since recession. In Greece now is very hard to earn money. I am not running business, so is no problem for me. For Stavros, though, is very stressful. Sometimes this makes him angry.’
‘Yes, well, I’m sure it’s much the same for business owners across the world at the moment,’ Hardwick said, trying to defuse Arjun’s macabre tone.
‘No. Is different,’ was his only reply as he leant back, resigned, and took out his smartphone.
‘Looks like I’m in the dog house,’ James said nervously as he arrived back at Hardwick’s side.
‘She still angry?’ Hardwick asked.
‘Bloody well seems like it. I was stood there knocking on the door but she wouldn’t let me in.’
‘Did she say anything?’
‘Oh, God yeah. Plenty of things. None which I’m going to repeat in more pleasant company, though. Looks like I’m sleeping on a sun lounger tonight.’
‘Think yourself lucky you’re in Friktos, then,’ Hardwick said without a hint of irony. ‘Lovely weather for it.’
‘Yeah, well it’s definitely going to be pretty bloody icy cold in that bedroom tonight, that’s for sure.’
‘Join me for another drink, then?’
‘Just the one?’ James replied with a smile.
10
James and Hardwick’s conversation continued, both having become fairly well acquainted with each other as the night had gone on. Ellis had carried on drinking with Nick, Paul and Ryan and had learnt a whole host of new dance moves which he was keen on showing to Hardwick at every given opportunity. After a while, Hardwick stopped giving him opportunities.
By quarter past eleven, Nick had also decided he’d had enough of the evening and declared that he, too, was off to bed, whether the others liked it or not. Paul and Ryan, seemingly oblivious to the company of Hayley and Emma, called out: ‘Off to try and get a bit of that Jennifer bird are you?’ before collapsing into fits of laughter.
Nick, though, wasn’t laughing. Whether tired or just plain inebriated, his words were strangely calm and confident. ‘Don’t worry, lads,’ he said, before glancing over at James. ‘I’ll get my bit.’
The laughter quickly died down and became a hushed mumbling, with Hardwick having to place his hand on James’s forearm to stop him going after Nick. Ellis sat beside Paul and Ryan, looking slightly embarrassed and very drunk. No words were said between James and Hardwick, but the sentiment was clear.
‘Everyone’s had a couple of drinks. They’re young and they’re trying to make themselves seem bigger than they are,’ Hardwick said, this being as philosophical as he could get after a few drinks and a day of sun.
‘Yeah, well. The first time’s funny, the second time’s a bit of a pain. After it’s been happening all night it kind of grates, y’know?’
Hardwick simply nodded.
‘I mean, it’s not as if she’s out on her own or with a group of girls, is it? She’s on holiday with me, so they’re clearly just doing it to try and wind me up. Makes it worse in a way — they’re not even doing it because they’re particularly interested in her.’
***
10
Midnight came, and Hayley and Emma took that as their cue to leave, having finished sipping their bright blue cocktails and said goodnight to Ellis, Ryan and Paul, who were starting to look a little worse for wear. Ellis decided he was going to order one more drink, offering Hardwick and James another round.
‘Don’t you think you’ve had a few too many already, Ellis?’ Hardwick asked him.
‘We all have,’ were the words that Ellis managed to squeeze out of his lips, which were now blubbering about like a pair of beached whales. ‘We’re on holiday, Kempston. You’ve got to looshen up a bit and have shome fun. Wassa problem?’
‘No problem here, Ellis. Just bear in mind that I’ll be waking you up bright and early tomorrow. Probably best if your headache isn’t too extreme,’ Hardwick said, his words being perfectly enunciated as always, despite his own brain swimming in Campari.
‘It’s fine. One more. Then bed.’
‘Very well, Ellis. Anyway, I’m sure you can keep up with your newfound friends. Despite the age difference.’
‘Age difference?’ Ellis asked, so astounded by Hardwick’s comment that he almost lost his balance as he jerked his upper body backwards. Balance, though, was not Ellis’s greatest strength right now.
‘Well, come on. Look at you. And at them. You could be their father.’
‘Doubt it. I’ve never been to Middlesbrough.’
‘No, that’s not… I mean you’re about twenty-five years older than they are.’
‘So?’ Ellis replied.
Hardwick saw no point in replying. The state Ellis was in right now, anything would have seemed like a good idea to him.
So it was, then, that another round was bought. Hardwick tried to mentally calculate how many drinks each of them had had that night, but he couldn’t even work out how many he’d had himself. Good job it was cheap, he thought, or there’d be some aching wallets tomorrow morning as well as heads.
Having finished their final round of drinks, Ellis, Paul and Ryan headed back to their apartments, the latter two propping Ellis up with an arm round each of their shoulders.
‘We’ll get him back to bed, Kempston. Think he’s had a bit too much!’ Ryan called, Ellis’s flip-flopped feet skidding across the tiles as Paul and Ryan took his weight.
‘See you in the morning, Ellis,’ he replied. ‘Bright and early.’
With only Hardwick, James and the barman, Arjun, still at the bar, Arjun began to make it pretty clear that he was keen to get to bed.
‘Is busy here, you know. Not just in evening, but during day as well. Every morning I am up six o’clock to clean pool.’
‘Really? How remarkable,’ Hardwick replied, never keen on people trying to infer meanings when they could just perfectly well come out and say them.
‘Also then to prepare breakfast, clean the sun beds and sweep the pool area.’
‘Mmmm, you do a good job.’
‘Yes. Is long hours, and hard work. Very tired in the summer. Maybe four hours to sleep in night. I have to clean and tidy bar after evenings as well.’
‘Well it looks very nice for it. A good job.’
By twelve-thirty, James had been unable to suppress his titters and had openly suggested that they should call it a night. Hardwick agreed, bade Arjun goodnight and escorted the somewhat-tipsy James across to his sun lounger for the night before heading back to his apartment. Stumbling around in the pitch black, he silently cursed the hotel’s owner for not lighting up the pathway towards the apartments. None of the apartments or doors were particularly discernible, but fortunately for him, Ellis had left the porch light on and the number ‘3’ was plenty visible. Less than five minutes later, he was sound asleep.
11
Hardwick always woke up when the sun rose. Today, it was six o’clock in the morning and his vast mind was awake and buzzing with the thought of another day.
He was always thankful to have woken up and experienced another day. After some of the things he’d seen, it always stunned him to realise that no-one ever knew when their last day on earth would be. It could be any of us at any time and he had seen his fair share of untimely deaths. For that reason more than any, he always embraced every new day.
The crickets were already buzzing away outside the window, and Hardwick got dressed and headed into the living area of the apartment. Ellis was still unconscious on the sofa, sleeping off the excesses of the previous night. Even the boiling of the kettle didn’t wake him as Hardwick made his customary mug of coffee and sat on the verandah to drink it.
The morning sun was simply stunning. Already warm and soothing without the intense searing hit which would come later in the day. A Mediterranean early morning was like a British summer’s afternoon. Just right.
The early morning had always been his favourite time of day. It was the start, the freshest part of the day, unspoilt by the events which were inevitably to come. It brought hope and potential. More than anything, it was quiet.
It’s a fact — there are too many people on this earth. That’s why Hardwick liked the early morning, when the vast majority of them were still tucked up in their beds, not yet taking part in the unfolding of the day. Leaving it all for him.
Having finished his coffee and put on his shoes, Hardwick left the apartment and headed in the direction of the town. He noticed that the door to the end apartment, two doors down, was slightly ajar. More early risers, Hardwick mused to himself. More people who liked to take advantage of the glorious morning sun.
The pavement ran alongside the road into the centre of Kakagoustos, although for the first hundred yards or so it was nothing but a dirt track. The Kollidis Beach Hotel (which wasn’t strictly a hotel) was right on the edge of the town. Be thankful for small mercies, Hardwick told himself.
As he reached the edge of the shops and restaurants, men with moustaches and beer bellies were hauling piles of newspapers off of low-loaders and dumping them outside the shops, which would not be open for some hours yet.
Another similar low-loader was carrying hundreds of huge bottles of water, ready to be consumed by the hordes of tourists who’d been poisoning themselves by throwing gallons of ouzo down their necks every night but somehow deemed themselves incapable of digesting Greek water without turning into Frankenstein’s monster. ‘The mineral content’s higher than we’re used to,’ they’d say. Well hell, why not get yourself used to a higher mineral content, then? Or just stick to the chlorine-packed copper-poisoned rubbish which pours out
of the taps in your home back in England. Proper English water, they call it. The same people who refused to eat ‘that foreign muck’, and instead decided to opt to spend the week guzzling burgers and chips.
No worries — another couple of hundred yards and the fresh morning air would make him a little less grumpy. That is assuming he could ignore the sight and stench of the discarded burger cartons and beer bottles which were scattered around the centre of the town. Already the morning sun had begun to warm them up, speeding up the process of decomposition and releasing the foul, sweet and sickly stench which emanates from all bins in hot countries. And Kakagoustos that morning was a bin.
The area around the bars and nightclubs was like a ghost town. At least two nightclubs were just locking their doors after another evening’s business, their customers having long fallen into their drunken stupor back at their own hotel rooms. The centre of town was eerily silent. Whilst most others around the world were just gearing up for the day, at this time of the morning Kakagoustos was asleep and probably wouldn’t wake up until the day was already in its closing stages. So not only did these people not want the foreign food or the foreign water, but they didn’t even want the foreign weather.
***
11
By seven o’clock, Hardwick was back at the poolside, still the only holidaymaker who seemed to be up and awake, apart from James, who was still on his sun lounger, looking slightly less than comfortable but perfectly happy all the same. He’d clearly been woken up by the searing morning sun, as he seemed to have got up and fetched a parasol, which he’d erected to create some semblance of shade as he slept.
Arjun, the barman, had already hosed down the tiles around the pool and was busy fishing leaves and small creatures out of the swimming pool. He accidentally dripped his fishing net over James, who woke with a start. James very quickly decided the best course of action would be a large glass of water and some aspirin, which Arjun scuttled off to fetch for him as James rubbed his head and cracked out the knots in his back from the night spent on the sun lounger.
