I was now so stressed about the nappies and the old woman driving the car that I never once during the night gave a thought to my kids or my empty nest! That morning the Ya-Ya told me that we would be leaving for Leonidios at ten, so I fed Ermioni and walked down to the harbour, where I had a coffee at the taverna, then sat at the jetty for a while. The big yacht that docked the previous day was gently rocking on the calm water, but all was deadly quiet, I suppose all the people still asleep. Just as I was leaving, a figure of a tall man appeared on the deck, and when he saw me looking at him, he smiled and waved. But it was time for the trip to Leonidios, and I hurried back before the old woman called down the wrath of the god's on me again. Soon I was sitting in the back of the car with Ermioni, my back feeling as stiff as a ramrod as the saying goes, as I was VERY worried.
The Ya-ya was about a hundred years old, and might have had one driving lesson in her life, as she knew where to put the key, and that you had to use the gears, but how to use them was another story altogether. On turning the key we jumped about a metre forward, as the car was in gear, and she didn't use the clutch. I implored her to let me drive, but she had a determined look on her rimply face, so I told her to use the clutch, and showed her which one it was. And I was PRAYING! But Gran knew better, and after about six false starts we had jumped almost out of the lean-to under which the car was parked. I tried to get out with Ermioni, but with all her fumblings The Ya-Ya must have activated the childlock, and the two of us were trapped like fish in a tank! I was now really worried, and again told her to push in the clutch, or take it out of gear when trying to start it. She then fumbled with the gears, and with a satisfied grin on her face she revved the car until it screamed like a thing possessed, and then she let go of the clutch that she finally pushed in, and we shot backwards, flattening a bed of yellow daisies, killing an earthenware pot with a red geranium, and with me trying to shield Ermioni in case of a serious crash, we hit a pole with the right side of the BMW, and the sound of breaking glass made my tummy turn! I was now seriously worried, becoming more cross by the second, and told the old woman to let me and the child out on the double, but I was still talking when she managed to get it in second gear, and off we shot, the poor car screaming to high heavens, as she never changed gears or applied the brakes, all the way on the small road to Leonidios! On reaching Leonidios, she ignored every stopstreet, and we stormed through the town causing one helluva racket, until she suddenly just swerved onto the pavement, and without pushing in the clutch, applied the brakes, and we came to a jumping stop about a centimeter from the low wall running parallel to the street.! From every house people came out to see what was going on, and it seemed they all knew the Ya-Ya, who was standing there as proud as a peacock while the people admired her driving skills! Until they saw the side of the car! When at last the old woman remembered that her grandchild was still in the car, she let us out, and I could hardly stand upright my legs were shaking so! We visited every house in the vicinity, where Gran was plied with wine, and when at long last we got to the shop for the nappies, I knew that she was in NO state to drive home, not that I was getting back in that car with her behind the wheel! And neither was I as I swallowed every drop of the red given to me to get my courage up!