A recollection of memories Part 1

I remember, every July 14^th, July 20^th and August 15^th of my childhood, going home after playing football in the neighbourhood, and sitting on the veranda of our house with my parents eating karpouzi and halloumi and listening to the news talking about the 8^th, 9^th, 10^th, 11^th, …..anniversary of the coup d’etat and the Turkish invasion. 34 years after the invasion here is what I remember…

I remember that CYBC was the only television channel in Cyprus.

I remember my parents telling my brother that by the time he has to go to the army, there will be no army in Cyprus. I remember them telling me the same. I remember my uncle saying the same to his son. I say it now too. The army is still there.

I remember my first football game. My uncle took me with the famous Opel Vectra registration numbers VZ609 (which at the time thought that was funny because when you say it out loud it sounds like “ViZi” which means “boob”) to my first ever Salamina game at a friendy game against Omonia at the Makario stadium..

I remember the final of 1989, Salamina-Omonia in Tsirio stadio in Limassol. The only thing that I regret in my life is that my whole family went to that game and I preferred to go to a friend’s birthday party…I was 9 years old, but I remember listening to it on the radio. I remember Pambis scoring, I remember listening to the last few minutes on the only radio we had in our kitchen. I will never forget.

I remember my dad’s navy Chevrolet pick-up truck which was then replaced by a newer white Chevrolet pick-up car.

I remember my grandmother telling me bed-time stories of her childhood.

I remember my grandfather, coming to our home riding his red Vespa and bringing along the only communist newspaper of Cyprus.

I remember my first ever trip outside of Cyprus, going to Egypt with the extended family. I remember that I was afraid to get inside the pyramids.

I remember being sick in the hospital and only wanting a specific nurse to put the IV on.

I remember the president of the Cyprus Republic coming for dinner at our house, and me feeling proud of it. I remember sitting outside talking to his guards.

I remember the gift the President brought me from Japan; a white robot which was eventually lost while moving to our new house.

I remember my brothers beating me on any occasion they could. I remember being afraid of them, but also wanting to live up to them.

I remember my brothers beating a guy who was trying to play cool with me.

I remember the Friday night they called me from the hospital to tell me that my grandfather passed away.

I remember the night they called us from Limassol to tell us that grandmother Stella passed away. I remember my dad returning from a trip and understanding what happened before we even told him.

I remember playing pilotta when my mother called me to tell me that grandfather Loukas passed away.

I remember walking to my uncle’s house almost every day after elementary school.

I remember waking up at 5am on Tuesdays during summer period to go with my father to work at the farm.

I remember being happy to see the pigs and felt close to them, not realizing that they were growing them up so they can kill them and make them pork.

I remember my brother returning home from his studies in London for the first time. He had long hair and all I wanted to do was show him the games of Salamina that I had taped.

I remember my English high-school teacher telling my parents that I will not pass my English O-level. I got a B.

I remember my Chemistry high-school teacher telling my parents that I will not pass my Chemistry O-level. She was right.

I remember playing for the high-school football team, training every Friday and the player with the most dedication would get a Sandwich and Coca-cola for free from the coach…who was also a Chemistry teacher.

I remember Mr. Chisios, the PE teacher who wanted me to play volleyball for the school team, but I always preferred the nap after school.

I remember the first time I got injured playing football, twisting my ankle. My parents were in Africa and my brother couldn’t pick me up from school because he had a phone interview with Bank of Cyprus.

I remember all the other times that I twisted the same ankle in the following years.

I remember every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday going at badminton training from 8pm until 10pm with my good friends.

I remember spending my childhood years with my best friends in the neighbourhood.

I remember my mum taking me to her work when I was 5 or 6 and her sweet colleagues saying “Ohh what a cute baby..is it a boy or a girl?”

I remember all my friends liking Power Rangers and me hating them.

I remember “Einai mia, mono mia I oneiremeni froutopia”

I remember my brother kicking me and me landing with my elbow on a rock breaking it…all because he tore a Salamina player sticker and I got mad and threw him a rock.

I remember all my birthday cakes when I was a little boy were in the shape of a Jersey and had the Salamina colors and logo.

I remember the barber with the large house in our neighbourhood who would not let us play football on the field across from his house because the dust would make the house dirty. I remember how he was hated by every kid in the neighbourhood.

I remember my mountain bike which had a malfunctioned chain and resulted in me returning home with a new bruise every day.

I remember unloading containers of plastic things at the local plastic store and the owner paying us 10 or 20 Cyprus pounds.

Time goes by so slowly..or does it..?