Chapter Four

Gus had two sons, Kosta and George, the younger of the two. Both had worked aboard the Aegean Sounding, but Gus had never expected either of them to make sponge diving his life's work.

Gus knew what the business demanded. He knew the long trips, the weather that could keep a boat in port, the uncertainty of a harvest, and the expense of keeping a working vessel seaworthy. Above all, he knew the dangers of sponge diving and the risks the men took with their lives each time they went below. He valued the life he had built on the water, but he did not want his sons to face those same dangers or feel obligated to follow him into the business.

He encouraged them to find safer work, with better prospects for supporting themselves and their families.

George had made his decision earlier, leaving the boat to attend college and pursue accounting. His career eventually took him to Atlanta.

Kosta stayed with the sponge work longer. He had dived with his father and understood the dangers and demands of the business firsthand. As he considered his future, he became interested in running a restaurant.

When serious health concerns led another family member to sell an established restaurant in Tarpon Springs, Kosta saw an opportunity to build a different working life without leaving his father or the community. The family wanted the restaurant to remain in familiar hands and helped him make the purchase possible.

Kosta renamed it The Kalymnos Table, honoring his family's Greek heritage while carrying that heritage into a different kind of work.

That had been twenty-five years earlier. Now approaching fifty, Kosta had spent much of his adult life running The Kalymnos Table, building relationships with customers and employees who had become part of its daily life.

Gus respected both decisions. His sons had chosen different occupations, but each carried something of what Gus had taught him into his own working life.

The Kalymnos Table had not yet opened for the day, but the morning's work was well underway.

Chairs stood upside down on the tabletops, where they had been placed the night before so the floors could be cleaned. Alexi lifted them down one by one, setting each in its place before arranging the tables for the day's service.

Nearby, Yannis and Joanna worked through the dining room, checking place settings and making sure everything was ready. They moved easily around one another, accustomed to the preparations they had made together so many times before.

Kosta joined Alexi at one of the tables, straightening a chair and helping him finish the settings. When Alexi moved on to the next table, Kosta gathered a few items left on the previous one and carried them where they belonged.

It was Friday, and beyond the day's lunch and dinner service lay the weekend, when visitors to the Sponge Docks would bring more customers through the doors.

Yannis noticed a table that needed another chair and brought one over. Joanna checked the settings near the windows. Kosta helped Alexi finish another table, then stepped back to take in the preparations.

He liked these mornings, the familiar work and the people around him. Once the doors opened, he would move between the kitchen and dining room, greeting customers, stopping to talk with regulars, and lending a hand wherever it was needed. He knew when to step in and when to let his experienced staff carry on.

The family's weekly routine had its own rhythm. Mondays were different at The Kalymnos Table. The restaurant closed at two o'clock, leaving the rest of the day for the Vasilakis family. Yannis and Joanna, the senior waitstaff, coordinated the day's service while Kosta attended to the week's menu and other preparations.

Alexi had grown up helping his father at the restaurant. Now nineteen, with high school graduation just a month away, he had begun thinking about what he might do with his summer.

His teacher, Katerina, had encouraged her students to look more closely at the familiar places around them. Alexi knew the Sponge Docks and the waterfront, but he was beginning to realize how much of the Anclote River he had never taken the time to explore.

Kosta was about to head toward the kitchen when Joanna caught his attention.

“Thank you for giving me the time off for my appointment. My son will be here right at three to pick me up.”

“Of course, Joanna. Thalia's coming in to cover for you.”

“Oh, good. I like Thalia. She always keeps everybody smiling, especially when we're busy.”

“She does,” Kosta said.

Joanna returned to her work, and Kosta continued toward the kitchen.

He had arranged for Thalia to cover the remainder of Joanna's shift that afternoon. Yannis knew the plan, and Alexi would continue helping with clearing and resetting tables as he usually did.

In the kitchen, the chef was already preparing for the day's meals. Kosta checked on the work in progress before turning his attention to the weekend special, Gulf Shrimp Skordates (Garlic Sauce).

The previous week, Frank Mercer at West End Seafood had told him fresh Gulf shrimp would be available, and Kosta had placed his order.

Gulf Shrimp Skordates had long been a customer favorite at The Kalymnos Table. The chef sautéed the shrimp in olive oil with fresh garlic, lemon, and parsley, serving them with warm bread delivered fresh each morning from the Heritage Bakery. The bread was especially good for soaking up the sauce.

Kosta knew his regulars would be pleased to see Gulf Shrimp Skordates written on the whiteboard near the front entrance.

Before leaving the kitchen, he checked that everything was moving along as expected. The dining room preparations were nearly complete, and Yannis, Joanna, and Alexi had everything well in hand.

With the Aegean Sounding dockside, Kosta knew his father would be stopping by. There was still time before the doors opened, and he looked forward to sitting with Gus.

Gus arrived early, as he usually did. He knew the restaurant's routine and liked to arrive well before the first customers came through the doors.

Joanna looked up as he entered.

"Morning, Gus."

"Morning, Joanna."

Gus walked toward the kitchen preparation area, poured himself a cup of black coffee, and carried it to the family's customary table near the far corner of the dining room.

He settled into his usual chair, opened a newspaper from Greece, and began reading. Now and then, he looked up from the paper to observe the morning preparations around him.

When the family gathered, each had a familiar place. Kosta sat facing the kitchen and dining room, where he could observe much of the restaurant's activity. Alexi sat across from his father, while Sarah sat opposite Gus.

No one had formally assigned the seats. Over the years, each had simply become accustomed to a particular place.

During serving hours, however, Kosta and Sarah were seldom seated. They moved through the dining room, helping Yannis and Joanna when needed and making a point of greeting diners as they arrived. Some were regular customers they knew well. Others were visiting The Kalymnos Table for the first time.

Gus finished his coffee, folded the newspaper, and rose from his chair. The family usually ate before the restaurant opened, and the kitchen kept a few of their favorite foods ready alongside the day's preparations.

Gus went to the kitchen, put together a small breakfast, and returned to his customary chair.

Kosta appeared a moment later.

"Morning, Dad."

"Morning, Kosta."

Kosta pulled out his chair and sat down for a few minutes.

"How's the boat?" Kosta asked.

"She's tied up where she belongs."

"And Mike and Poyraz?"

"They're doing fine. We just got back from our first trip of the season."

"How'd it go?"

"Good. Just two weeks out. A chance to get the boat and crew back into the routine before the longer trips."

"And everything worked out?"

"Well enough. A few things to take care of before we head out again, but nothing unusual."

Gus drank some coffee.

We've got some work to do on the boat."

Kosta understood. He had grown up around the sponge boats and knew that a voyage did not always end with the harvest a crew expected.

From the kitchen, someone called his name.

"Give me a minute," he told Gus.

He went to answer the question.

Gus continued eating while the restaurant gathered pace around him.

When Kosta returned, he sat briefly in his customary chair.

"You need anything else?"

"No. I'm good."

By eleven, the dining room was ready.

The doors opened, and the first customers began arriving.

Yannis greeted a couple he recognized and led them toward their usual table. Joanna welcomed another party near the entrance.

Kosta smiled as he greeted familiar faces and welcomed visitors coming through the doors for the first time. Sarah moved among the arriving guests, exchanging greetings and helping them settle in.

As the dining room began to fill, Kosta joined Alexi in checking a table near the windows. Alexi straightened the chairs while Kosta adjusted the place settings. When another customer called his name, Kosta looked up with a smile and went over to greet him.

Orders began moving toward the kitchen. Plates came out to the dining room. Yannis and Joanna attended to their tables, while Sarah continued welcoming guests and helping wherever she was needed.

Kosta moved easily between the dining room and kitchen. He knew when to lend a hand, when to stop and speak with a customer, and when his staff had everything under control.

The work followed a familiar rhythm.

A couple who had parked nearby were making their way along Dodecanese Boulevard, stopping at shop windows and taking their time before lunch.

The sky had been changing, but neither had paid much attention.

The shopkeepers noticed first.

One stepped outside and began rolling a display toward the doorway. Across the street, another gathered items from a table and carried them inside.

The woman looked up.

"Is it going to rain?"

Her husband glanced toward the river.

"I don't know. It's blue over there."

A drop struck his arm.

Then another.

People along the sidewalk began moving faster. An umbrella opened. Someone hurried beneath an awning.

The couple laughed and quickened their pace.

By the time they reached The Kalymnos Table, the rain was falling steadily.

Joanna looked up as they entered.

"You made it."

"Just about," the man said.

His shirt was darkened across the shoulders. Drops clung to the woman's hair.

Joanna glanced toward the windows.

"Good timing. Look at it now."

The rain fell steadily onto the pavement, gathered, and ran along the curb.

The woman looked outside.

"But it's still bright over there."

Beyond the rain, part of the sky remained blue.

"That's Florida," Joanna said.

The woman laughed.

"Does it do this all the time?"

"Often enough."

"We don't get rain like this back home," the man said.

"Where's home?"

"New Jersey."

Joanna smiled.

"You can have a downpour right here and find out they didn't get a drop a few miles away."

"So it might not even be raining at the beach?" the woman asked.

"That's right."

Joanna picked up two menus and led them to a table.

"Get settled and dry off. I'll give you a few minutes with the menu."

They thanked her.

As Joanna returned to her work, the woman opened her menu, then glanced once more toward the window.

Beyond the rain, the blue sky was still there.

Yannis approached after the couple had time to look over the menu.

"Have you decided?"

"Almost," the woman said. "We're trying to decide what to share."

Yannis answered their questions without rushing them. The couple decided to take another minute with the menu, so he moved on.

At the next table, two customers were looking over the menu. Yannis stopped beside them.

"Have you decided?"

"I saw your Gulf Shrimp Skordates special on the whiteboard up front. I've had it here before, and I'd like that again."

The other customer looked up from the menu.

"Yes, that sounds really good. Make it two."

"Two Gulf Shrimp Skordates," Yannis confirmed. "That comes with warm garlic bread. We get our bread fresh every morning from a local bakery."

"That sounds good. Yes, please."

"Anything else?"

"No, that'll do it. Thank you."

Yannis nodded and went to put in their order.

At another table, a family was already eating. Plates moved between them as they offered one another tastes of what they had ordered.

The restaurant was becoming busier.

A server passed with a tray. Someone in the kitchen called that an order was ready.

Yannis returned to the couple from New Jersey.

"Would you like another minute?"

"No, I think we're ready."

He took their order, repeated it to make sure he had understood, and went toward the kitchen.

Kosta was speaking with a customer near the entrance. He smiled as the man finished telling him something, then turned to help Alexi clear a nearby table.

A few minutes later, Yannis returned with the first part of the couple's meal.

They moved their glasses aside to make room.

Outside, the rain was beginning to ease.

Inside, lunch continued.

By dinner, the dining room had filled with families, regular customers, and visitors. Conversations mingled with the sounds of dishes arriving from the kitchen.

At one table, a group of visitors had ordered flaming cheese saganaki.

They watched as Yannis approached with the dish and prepared the brief presentation.

"Ready?"

The people at the table leaned forward.

The flame rose.

"Opa!" Yannis called.

"Opa!" the table answered.

A few voices from nearby tables joined them. Someone laughed. Across the room, another customer raised a hand in acknowledgment.

The moment lasted only a few seconds.

Yannis finished the presentation and served the cheese.

Kosta looked up from a conversation near the kitchen and smiled before returning to what he was doing.

At a nearby table, one of the visitors had watched the exchange.

"What was that?"

“Saganaki," Sarah said. "The cheese they ordered."

"And everybody shouted something."

"Opa!" Sarah said. "That's what we call out here when we light the flame."

"What does that mean?"

"It's our way of celebrating. Everyone's welcome to join in."

The visitor smiled.

"Maybe next time."

"Good. We'll be listening," Sarah said, smiling as she returned to her work.

The restaurant settled back into its ordinary sounds.

Dinner continued after the brief excitement of the saganaki. Yannis returned to his tables, Thalia carried another order toward the kitchen, and conversations resumed around the dining room.

At one table, a regular customer caught Yannis's attention as he passed.

"Your brother coming in tonight?" Yannis asked.

"Not tonight. Maybe tomorrow."

"Tell him we said hello."

Yannis moved on to another table, where a couple was ready to order.

Alexi had finished clearing a table when Kosta came over carrying clean place settings. They began preparing it for the next guests. Alexi straightened the chairs while Kosta arranged the settings, then stepped aside as Thalia passed with a tray.

A man entering the restaurant called to Kosta from the doorway.

"Kosta! Got room for two?"

Kosta looked toward the dining room.

Alexi glanced at the table they had just finished.

"This one's ready."

Kosta nodded.

"Right this way."

He welcomed the couple and showed them to the table. Alexi returned to his work as Thalia came over to take their order.

The work moved among them, each person attending to what needed doing. Kosta remained close enough to notice when someone needed help, but he did not have to direct every task. Yannis and Thalia recognized some of the regulars and knew their work well. Alexi knew the routine and stepped in wherever he was needed.

The table where the family often gathered was empty for the moment. Gus sometimes stopped there during the day, and other family members took a seat when they had time. When customers needed the space, it was simply another table in the restaurant.

Around them, the restaurant continued to receive people who knew it in different ways. Some came because they had heard about the food. Others had been returning for years. A visitor might remember the saganaki and the voices calling "Opa!" A regular might remember that Yannis had asked after his brother.

The sign outside read The Kalymnos Table.

Some customers simply called it Kosta's place.

For the Vasilakis family, it was the Table.

As the evening drew to a close, the final customers lingered over their conversations, then gathered their belongings and made their way toward the door.

Kosta thanked them as they left.

The dining room gradually quieted.

Tables were cleared, and the remaining dishes were carried to the kitchen. The kitchen staff finished cleaning, washed and put away the pots and pans, and started the dishwasher on its final cycle.

Yannis approached Kosta as the evening cleanup continued.

"Kosta, do you want Thalia back tomorrow evening to work with Joanna and me? We were pretty busy tonight."

"Yes. Ask her if she can come in at five."

"I'll check with her before I leave."

Kosta nodded, and Yannis returned to his work.

Alexi and the remaining staff turned the chairs upside down and placed them on the tables, clearing the floor for mopping.

Once the chairs were up, the floor was mopped and allowed to dry.

Kosta looked over the dining room as the staff finished their work.

The staff gathered their belongings and said goodnight.

Alexi came over to his father.

"Ready, Dad?"

"Just about."

Alexi knew what that meant. His father would be another few minutes.

He took a chair down from one of the tables and sat, pulling out his phone. His friend Jimmy had sent a message asking if they were still getting together Saturday.

Alexi typed a quick reply.

Kosta made his final round through the restaurant, checking that everything was ready for the morning.

Kosta returned.

"Ready!" he said.

"Great," Alexi replied, putting his phone away.

Kosta turned off the lights and locked the door behind them.

Outside, they walked to his pickup. Kosta started the engine, and together they headed home.