Arthur C. Cosmas - Opa!: Stories and Traditions of a Greek-American Family

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Published by River Grove Books

Austin, TX

www.rivergrovebooks.com

Copyright 2018 Arthur Cosmas

All rights reserved.

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Distributed by River Grove Books

Design and composition by Greenleaf Book Group

Cover design by Greenleaf Book Group

Cataloging-in-Publication data is available.

Print ISBN: 978-1-63299-197-3

eBook ISBN: 978-1-63299-198-0

First Edition

Dedication

SHE WOULD SCRAPE STRAY CRUMBS of bread and arrange them into neat little mounds on the kitchen table before she placed them into a napkin with her palm. She tore small pieces from the ends of a paper napkin and twisted the corners into tortured points before placing them neatly in little piles on the table.

I remember repeatedly observing my mother as she nervously manipulated these objects whenever she sat at the table during the twilight of her life. Despite my concerns, and for reasons that apparently remain suppressed in my subconscious, I carefully preserved these actions in the notes section of my cell phone, where they remained latent and undeveloped for many months. Perhaps my mothers restless behavior was her way of provoking me to write about my Greek heritage, which would provide my grandchildren with an account of what it was like to be brought up as a Greek American, as well as to give them a written legacy about my life as a Greek American. Alternatively, it may have been the Greek gods commanding me to record these experiences for all of us to enjoy. Regardless of the reason, my wife, Pam, provided me with the incentive to write Opa! After several years of encouraging me to write a textbook, she finally suggested that I should write a book about Greek Americans, which is the book youre reading now.

And so, from those brief observations of my mothers anxiety-driven behavior that were saved in my cell phone and through the continuous encouragement of my wife, who had more confidence in me than I had in myself, I began writing this book. It is dedicated to her. If not for her reassurance, I would have given up, and Opa! would never have been completed.

This book is also written to provide my daughter, Samantha, and my grandchildren, Gabriel and Alexsandria, with a tangible memory of their father and grandfather, and I hope they will enjoy reading about what it was like being brought up as a Greek American in my generation.

Make no mistake about it.

We are Greeks, and the blood of ancient Greek heroes runs through our veins!

(full-blooded Greek)

Contents

Preface

THIS BOOK IS A DEPICTION of what it was like to be brought up as a Greek American in the 1950s. Filled with true-life anecdotes, it is an engaging and lovable portrayal of Greeks and Greek culture. The facts and descriptions throughout the book will interest readers who are Hellinophiles (a person who has a love of Greece and Greek culture). If you are Greek, these stories may revive tender memories and make you proud of your Greekness. If you are not Greek, these stories may remind you of what it was like for you growing up and give you an opportunity to learn quite a bit about Greek culture and traditions.

When I was young, most aspects of my life were Greek. As I wrote about my experiences, a constellation of poignant memories emerged. Because many of you have never been exposed to these unique Greek cultural traditions, I hope Opa! will provide you with insight as to what it was like for me and others of my generation to grow up as Greek Americans and that you will acquire a sense of what it means to be Greek.

We all have similar wants, needs, and concerns. We all laugh, we cry, we feel physical and emotional pain, we all want to feel important, and we all want something better for our children. Even though our cultures are different, when we interact with someone on an individual level, we are able to experience our similarities and our differences, which is an important social dynamic. A greater understanding of our cultural differences can enable us all to develop more acceptance and compassion for others.

I present these stories to you for your enjoyment and to remind both my Greek and non-Greek readers that we are a lot more alike than we are different ( ).

I hope you will enjoy reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Authors Note

THE TILE WAVE MOSAIC ON a beautiful Greek blue palette and the classic Greek key motif that appear on the cover are both symbols of the eternal flow of things. They also symbolize the bonds of friendship, love, and devotion.

Acknowledgments

I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE the gracious attitude and tireless efforts of Daniel Eichner, Perry Siegel, and Joy Sanzo, who consistently provided technical assistance, without which this manuscript would not have been completed. I extend my acknowledgment and grateful appreciation to the Greenleaf Book Group staff, who encouraged and guided me through the development of Opa! Special gratitude to Lindsey Clark, lead editor, who had the enormous task of taking a collection of chaotic Greek stories and molding them into an entertaining narrative. Her efforts in the development of Opa! were immeasurable. Grateful recognition is given to the efforts of Elizabeth Chenette, who completed the detailed and comprehensive edit on this book, and to Pam Nordberg, who completed the proofread. Acknowledgment is also extended to Claire Jentsch, who encouraged me to submit excerpts of Opa! to Justin Branch and his team, who evaluated and accepted it, and to Rachael Brandenburg and her team for developing the cover design. Grateful appreciation is also extended to Jen Glynn, senior project manager, for her encouragement and for guiding the development of the book. And of course, acknowledgment and gratitude to my wife, Pam, my daughter, Samantha, and my son-in-law, Peter, who not only encouraged me but also tolerated my chaos as I wrote this story. I extend my love to my grandchildren, Gabriel and Alexsandria, who on several occasions asked me, Papa, is your book going to be in the library? And finally, my respect to the Greek gods who directed my life, for if I had to repeat it, most assuredly, they would choose the same path for me again!