It was many years ago. I remember, the days I used to run around having fun and causing trouble with my friends. Me and my cousins Idas and Heraklitos would go around with our friend Daniel doing all kinds of funny things. We’d light fireworks, catch animals and steal the nice bread rolls from the church hall where they held functions. Sometimes though wed get caught by Mr. Gianni, the hall supervisor but all he did was tell us of. I remember this day in particular because it reminds me of how important our childhoods are, and how we should remember them.
It was Sunday morning and church was about to finish, my parents, brother and sisters were lining up to receive the priests blessing. But I wasn’t there at the time. (Infact I thought that lining up to take the priests blessing was pointless since I didn’t know any better. And I wasn’t too fond of kissing a mean priests hand anyway.) I was outside waiting for my parents with my cousins idas and Heraklitos. It was taking ages so we thought about doing something to pass the time. The church hall was preparing for a function later and this gave us an idea. (we loved the food served at this hall, especially the bread). Idas dared me to get in the hall and steal some bread rolls for us to eat. So me being the daring 8 year old, agreed. I snuck through the back door of the hall. Idas and Heraklitos were watching and laughing through one of the hazy windows. I krept up to one of the tables making sure I wasn’t seen by those gypsi-waiters*. I grabbed three rolls and bolted for the door. Then just my luck, Mr Gianni the hall maintenance gypsy came through the back door with a wet mop. I saw his face change from normal to pure rage,
“what do you think you doing!” he shouted “don’t think your going to run of with those breads”. I turned around and ran the other way, towards the front entrance. Whilst I was doing this, I couldn’t help but take a bite at one of the bread roles id taken. Mr Gianni chased me through the hall, around the tables and eventually into the huge pantry. I saw my cousins killing themselves laughing outside and I just wanted to get out and bash those trouble makers. Mr Gianni continued to chase me though id knows he’d give up. I hid under a table and watched him look for me. When the time came, I jumped out underneath the table and rushed directly for the front door. But one of those gypsy waiters got in the way so I just somersaulted through his legs and out the door.
I got back to Idas and Heraklitos around the side and gave them their bread rolls. They had trouble eating them because they were still dying of laughter.
“ you looked like Indiana jones with the booby-trap--” Idas couldn’t finish his sentence of. Then I heard my mum calling me from around the side.
“look cuz, I better go now my mums calling me. Ill see yous later at soccer.” I didn’t think they heard me so I just took of .
When I found my mum she was waiting for me at the car in the car park.
“Johnny, where have you been? Not stealing bread again I hope.”
“Nah, we got bored waiting for you to get the blessing from the priest outside so we just got a tennis ball and played behind the hall.” I walked up closer to my mum who was standing near the car door. Then she noticed the bread crumbs on my jumper.
“Johnny, you liar! Next time we’re at church, you’ll sit right next to me for the whole time. And after you have to go confession. That’s right. Tell your favourite priest all the naughty things you’ve done. Then well see what happens.”
I sighed and got in the car. Dad was driving. My brother and sister was sitting next to me and my older sister was in her own car.
When we got back home, my grandmother was preparing food for my grandfathers birthday that evening. I said hello to her and she gave me a kiss. “tzonny, go oup to you room and get ready for soccer.” She said in greek.
Every Sunday about an hour after church my parents would take me to soccer to play the weekly game. I played for Brunswick city FC. I had only started a year before but I was an ok player. I went up to my room and got my stuff ready. I put my top and shorts on, my shin guards and socks then my runners (I didn’t put my soccer boots on until I got to the ground.) I went back into the kitchen and found that lunch was being served on the table. “tzonny, eat all your lunch or you don’t go to soccer” my grandmother said. Of course, grandmothers had this thing about food but I didn’t mind. I never go hungry. I sat down and ate my chicken soup. I didn’t bother to wait for my brothers and sisters because it usually took ten to fifteen minutes to get everyone at the table.
When everyone ate lunch, my dad drove me to my home ground. I got out of the car and met up with my friend Daniel. He was a good soccer player. Though he preferred to play in defence. This didn’t affect the team much. It certainly affected the opposing teams though. No one could get past him.
We met up with the other players and coach nick. Nick began to tell the strategy to the players. After we got into position on the field and watched as our opponent Lalor united did the same. The referee blew the whistle and the game started. Our striker Yioti passed to Daniel who then bolted down the field. Then one of the preston lions intercepted him and dashed back the other way. I ran up to him and kicked the ball from his feet. Our midfielder Billy got the ball and dodged the opposing players. Ten minutes passed and our striker Jacob went for a shot. The ball curved and smacked the keeper in the face. The ball rebounded and flew into the goals. Rather than everyone cheering, my teammates were laughing their heads of at what just happened. This enraged the preston lions goal keeper so he ran forward and took a swing at Jacobs head. Jacob copped the punch and his nose started bleeding. He fell to the ground in tears. The ref blew his whistle and ran up to Jacob. Suddenly my teammates all jumped in and began wrestling with the other teams players. I didn’t know any better so I just jumped in too. After the ref, both coaches and three adults pulled the fight apart, the ref announced a red card for the goal keeper. Then the game resumed. Since the other team had no goal keeper, we won twelve nill.( the other team had substituted the goal keeper with a useless defender).
In the evening, was the birthday party for my grandfather. Countless relatives poured through the door brining lots of food and extras along with them. Including my cousin Manuel, who always brought fireworks to these family get-togethers. When he came I immediately went up to him with Idas and heraklitos and asked whether he had brought any fireworks or not. Manuel laughed and told us that he may light some later.
Later wasn’t good enough for us. We couldn’t wait. so we begged him for about fifteen minutes and eventually gave up. Me and Idas went to play in the backyard while Heraklitos met up with some other relatives. After the huge dinner manuel and the rest of us went to the park across the road. “ive got some good ones tonight, but as usuall, don’t get in the way and stay a few meters back.” Manuel set up a sixty-shot roman candle, a c20 magnum and a home-made spark fountain. “ok guys, watch dis…” Manuel lit the wires to all three fireworks and in a small time they went of. The banging was the loudest I ever heard. Then out came a huge black dog from the park bushes. It was the neighbours to be exact. This dog came running straight for us. I started running back to the house with Idas and Heraklitos. Manuel pulled a spark bomb from his pocket, lit it and threw it at the dog. Then he joined us. Manuel was much older than us and could certainly run faster. So there was no hesitation getting back to the house. As we all got back, Manuel shut the gate and the black dog was no were to be seen. It was caught up somewhere in the park and all the smoke from the fireworks. We got back into the house and shut the door. Then Manuel started laughing. His laughter made us laugh and we all fell into a mighty up roar. We were just in time because my grandmother was serving dessert on the table. “ok guys. From now on. Instead of lighting fire works at the park, well light them in the back yard.” I said.

* not an actual gypsy. Just a metaphor for shifty-angry person