A Fig for Teacher

I went to school from 1938 onwards. Greek was forbidden completely. My brother Vassilis, who was older than me, had Greek lessons for two grades but I was taught only in Italian. I remember the teacher Avaliano. He came to Olymbos as a teacher and then went as an officer to Tristomo. He was a good teacher and a good man. But there was also another Italian who claimed to be a teacher. His name was Seras. He liked dried figs. I remember as he was sitting at his desk he would duck down, so the pupils could not see his mouth, and eat dried figs. When the children did something naughty or they did not do their homework, or when he caught them in the break speaking Greek, which was forbidden, he did not beat them. He told them “Go to your home and tomorrow come with your parents and bring a small sack of dried figs.” He knew nothing as a teacher, just liked to stuff himself with figs.