The Pigs and the Coffee Shop

Sometime in 1938/39 a place called Dopolavoro ^note opened in Olympos, in the Sakellare’s home in Sellai ^note. It was like a traditional coffee shop. When the Italians came they frequented it, along with some of the locals who I will not name as they were sympathisers. You couldn’t go there unless you were a registered fascist. There was no other way. Even those locals that used the place had to wear black shirts. I’ll tell you what some of we young men did.

At that time, the village was full of hogs that just roamed the streets unchecked. Kosmas Minatsis was the ringleader and others came from Mesa Kastro, Agia Trias, more from Okso Kamara, and more again from Agios Vassilis. We rounded up all the hogs and drove all of them towards Sellai. They couldn’t find a way out, got desperate and burst into Philippides’ coffee shop ^note. Everyone sitting inside ran out. So, we got all the pigs together again and drove them into Dopolavoro where they burst in and disturbed all the Italians and their toadies!!