The English Lesson (The Greek Village Collection Book 11) Read Online Free PDF

Toula moves her own chair, as the sun’s progress is now in her face. Her eyes half-close but Juliet can feel the intensity of her stare.
    'Was I scared when I came alone? Yes, very. But more than scared, I was angry. Angry at being told what to do with my life all the time by everyone. So the anger outweighed the fear.'
    'Out-weighed?' Toula asks for clarification.
    'Outweighed. This means the anger was greater than the fear. Its weight was outside the weight of the fear. It weighed more. Do you know any of these phrases, out-run, out-law, out-strip, out-distance?'
    'Out-law! Western films.' Toula takes the first sip of her coffee, sucking it quietly through the bubbles on the surface.
    'So either it means outside-of, like outside of the law or outside of the number, as in weight.'
    'Yes, yes, I see, but I am more thinking about the anger being more than the fear.'
    'Oh!' Juliet is not sure what to say and so she takes a drink of her cold coffee. The ice is melting fast. It is sweeter than it was last time, but she is not complaining. The waiter, who had been resting his bottom against the wall, pushes off, glances a smile at Juliet, and returns indoors only to reappear with a plate of loukomades with two spoons, which he puts on their table. The couple at the other table pay and leave. There is a sound of voices. The waiter slips back in through the open doors and Juliet becomes aware that there are people drinking coffee inside, too.
    'I am angry,' Toula says calmly and the dripping dough ball that Juliet has just scooped onto her spoon falls back into the honey sauce. 'I am angry that he does not keep his promises of places he said we would go. I am angry that he squeeze me out of the business until I am only a housewife. I am angry that the clocks do not all sing at the same time. I am angry that it is good for him to go to stay with George in Athens.' She emphasises these last two words as if to tell Juliet that she has taken on board what was said earlier about her slip back into Greek. 'Whenever he feels like it. But I am meant to stay at home. I am angry that I am not supposed to be angry. This is what I would say at the Speakers Corner.'
    Juliet closes her mouth and puts down her spoon to give Toula her full concentration.

Toula
     
    The anger bubbles. It is a bit like excitement but there is tension in the sinews of her neck, along with a feeling of power. It is not power over anyone, like the power she had over her children until they were of an age to govern themselves, but a power as if she can determine her own future.
    'Are you alright?' She can hear Juliet speak but her voice seems a long way away as she looks back towards her house.
    How many times has she walked down this street? How many times has she looked at her house? But now it is different, the colours are more intense, heightened, the shadows deeper.
    The cat that has recently befriended her is lying on top of an air-conditioning unit by one of the tavernas. It is black with one white paw and long black whiskers. Its coat is sleek, courtesy, no doubt, of the fish tavernas and the many kind strokes of the tourists and the town’s residents. It is one of many strays but it is nice the way it has adopted her for the moment. It is a shame Apostolis objects so much to it coming into the house. In truth, she is a little envious of the cat. It can get up and walk away any time it likes. It can move to another street, or find another old lady. It can feed at one taverna or another. It can befriend whom it likes, stay out as long as it likes, and go where it likes. Even a stray cat has more freedom than she has.
    She sighs.
    But who is really holding her back? If a cat can have this freedom, if Juliet can break free from her old life, then so can she, can’t she?
    ‘I go.' Her head quivers on her neck and she has no control but she doesn't care who sees it.
    'Do you not want to finish the lesson?' Juliet seems shocked.
    'No! You no understand. I go