Author Philippa Rees has interviewed me for her fascinating blog, Careless Talk– the blog of things related to her book, Involution-An Odyssey. Unusually enough, she was interested not in my writing, but in the life that lies behind it. The interview was great fun, so I though I’d share one of its highlights here. You can read the rest on Philippa’s blog.
Can you give a sketch of your origins; family, growing up, where? Please include an impression of the atmosphere of your childhood home.
Well, I was born in Athens, Greece. I’m an only child, although I’m told it doesn’t show. I grew up in Dionysus – a mountainous region outside of Athens. My parents moved us there because the land was inexpensive. Then, they slowly built a rather larger house than what we needed. We lived on the top floor at first, while the rest of the house was still being built. Took them almost ten years to finish.
We moved there in 1981. A year to remember, for sure. At first, we had no power, phone lines or – worst of all – running water. We collected rain water in a giant tank, with a plastic pipe running into the house. Everything was done with buckets filled through that. Showering meant warming water on a gas-powered stove, then pouring it on us. We collected drinking water in gallon-sized jugs from a fresh-water spring (best water I’ve ever tasted outside of Scotland). Very wild west.
Our closest neighbor was half a mile away, which is also the distance I had to walk each day to reach the school bus. I was literally growing up in a forest. A regular Mowgli.
For power, we used a surplus US Army generator that used to be in Korea. My dad somehow found the behemoth in his engineering company and brought it home, so that we could have 2 hours of electricity each day – barely enough to warm the heaters, in a year that had us snowed in no less than 6 times. I studied with normal lamps for a couple of hours, while the generator was running, then used a gas lamp.

I still live in Dionysus, less than 4 miles from the old place. This July we had my 8th fire so far. This one also reached some 500 yards from our home.
That summer, I saw my first forest fire. It reached less than 500 yards from our home. Oh, we had also been hit by an earthquake during that time, so the whole family (an additional 8 people) moved in with us for a week.
After a year, the water pipes finally reached our place. A few months later, power. Phone lines were next. The road was the last to be built – we only had a dirt track running up to our place until then.
In case you’re wondering, no, the rest of Greece was firmly situated in the 20th century. It was just my crazy parents who did that. Adding insult to injury, they sent me to Greece’s poshest school. I felt like a caveman, patting snow down my fur coat while the rest of classmates gawked at me through their sunglasses (our area is some 20 degrees F colder than downtown Athens). Everyone was dressed in cool, cotton shirts, while I wore military khakis and woolen shirts. Sigh…
I still hate camping. Whenever someone suggests we rough it for a week, I always growl, “Been there, done that, got the tee-shirt, mass produced it in a sweat shop.”
Growing up in Dionysus with no siblings is definitely part of why I write. Or at least, why I love books. Every weekend, I’d borrow a dozen books from the school library and return them on Monday. Not much else to do, with no one around.
Reblogged this on theowlladyblog.
Oh Nicholas, I laughed out loud, sorry, but you relayed it in such a brilliant way. You had it pretty rough, mate, but the hardship has polished you into a shiny diamond. No wonder you are who you are today. The fur coat Vs sunglasses was all the money – LOL Hugs – and thank you for sharing! xxx
Aw, you! Thanks 🙂
Thoroughly enjoyed the whole interview, Nicholas.
It’s lovely to see where your delightful laid back approach originated.
I live near Edinburgh. Wonder if our paths ever crossed? We must meet for coffee if ever you come back. I’m glad you found Scots friendly and polite.
Thanks! I love the Scots. It’s so funny to think we might have passed each other on the street. We lived on Cockburn Street – amazingly enough, our names are still on the buzzer, 15 years later!
We were last in Edinburgh in February. Shame I didn’t think of letting you know 🙂
Such a fascinating interview. It’s always an indicator of a need for change when a person who once smiled a lot, ceases to smile. Congratulations, Nicholas, on having the guts to change direction and reclaim your smile 🙂
You’ve been reading my book, haven’t you 😀
Even more entertaining the second time around, Nicholas. A terrific interview, indeed!
Aw, thanks! 🙂
So interesting, Nicholas!!
Glad you thought so! I was afraid people would be bored to tears 🙂
Not at all.
We spent all of our vacations when I was young camping – and I hate it too!!
Lol – a kindred spirit!
True story: my former girlfriend decided she had had enough of my nonsense, and we needed to go camping. We found a lovely place in Pelion, which offered people tents and inflatable mattresses. After I eyed with envy those lucky souls who stayed at the next-door hotel, we resigned to the tent.
I tossed and turned the whole night. In the morning, we realized that my mattress had a hole, and I had spent the night on the ground.
I promptly vetoed the whole thing and carried our bags to the hotel.
A few hours later, a freak storm came out of nowhere. From the safety of our new room, I watched with guilty glee the wind and torrential rain carry the flimsy tents into the sea.
My girlfriend never suggested camping out again…
Your description of that time makes it seem hard to believe that it was 1981, and not 1921. I had it easy by comparison. Well done, Nicholas, it obviously made you a more rounded person.
Best wishes, Pete.
Lol – my parents certainly seemed to think it would build character 😀
Thanks 🙂
What a great story. Not your typical Greek childhood, at least as we’d see it from outside. Surely there should be a museum somewhere with your picture in it?!
Give it time, darling. Give it time :b
Can’t imagine a year without running water, but I’m spoiled. Worst we get is power outages from time to time. Usually due to snow in the winter or squirrels in the spring or fall. I’m trying to picture the terrain and weather patterns from the description. Sounds like you were definitely roughing it, so I don’t plan you for not wanting to go camping. Think you’re set for a few lifetimes.
Yep, set for a few lifetimes sums it up 😀
Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
Some more of Nicholas Rossis’s background winkled out of him by Philippa Rees.. here is a taster with a link to the full interview.. love the dress code at school..
Nicholas, this is a fascinating story. I will jump over to Phillipa’s blog to read the rest. Earthquakes, I’ve felt. Forest fires I’ve driven through when vacationing in Florida. Seeing a fire that close must be scary, but the view from your window would make it worth it to me.
I can partially relate to your story, I grew up in a rather large house with nine others (parents, five siblings, grandparents). We lived in an area that often lost power, had a cistern for our water supply, which was too small for ten people and we often were at the mercy of a water supplier’s schedule. My parents finished off three bedrooms in the attic, one each for two of my brothers, one that one of my sisters and I shared. However there was no insulation, and in the winter you could see your breath, in the summer it was so hot, we had to sleep on a screened-in porch. My favorite activity in the winter was reading in a small nook off the living room, in the summer, reading from a perch in my favorite tree, Not as rustic as yours, but it was wonderful, loved filled home that has left me with some warm memories.
Aw, that sounds absolutely magical – if hardly comfortable 😀
It sounds like the perfect environment to foster imagination and creativity…they really did you a favor.
Hindsight, huh? 😀
Good morning – I really enjoyed this…and personally think you were most fortunate to have such an upbringing. I am also an only child, and at one point in my career lived in a large studio on the east coast of the states, illegally without heat and running water, and so Nicholas…we have quite a lot in common…….:) I am quite sure your interesting upbringing has much to do with your wonderfully creative mind. Janet.
That is uncanny! Large studio, no heat or running water… We could practically be twins 🙂
It’s so kind of you to call me creative. I once took a psychology test at uni. I had the lowest possible marks for creativity. Sigh…
I am sure that solitude is the greatest incubator of an independent mind. I longed for siblings ( also only child) and to compensate my children had lots of them to have each other (and what I hadn’t)… Now none of them speak to one another! Each would probably have been happier alone, with undivided attention, or none. Instead I am accused of short-changing them all. Talk about ‘can’t win!’
How interesting! Yes, the grass is always greener…
Loved this common, and you are so right, as a parent we can never win:) I have been told by many how fortunate I am to be an only child….I have two but they are nine years apart…which seemed to work quite well:)
Exactly Janet. I have four, all girls, two pairs ten years apart. No help to any. The pairs are too close to one another, the ten years apart is a world apart..
I laughed – because I do understand:):)
I would love to read the rest but the link doesn’t work!
It does not work for me either Eric, so I am sure Nicholas will fix it.
Fixed – with apologies 🙂
Gosh, I’m so silly! Fixed. Thanks for letting me know 🙂
Glad your ‘haunting past’ has had a new airing Nicholas. You are undoubtedly feted and deservedly so!
Aw, you! *blush*
Hi Nicholas, what is Electra wearing? The view from your room is beautiful! I enjoyed reading about your childhood.
Juliet
Thank you!
That was a woolen shawl she had on that day; kinda like a cape. Sadly, it didn’t give her any super powers 🙂
Reblogged this on Barrow Blogs: and commented:
Explains everything then, Nicholas!
Wow – what a fascinating childhood. It reminded me of holidays spent with my great-great aunt in her 19th century home as a teen. It had a steep staircase (absolutely life-threatening to go up and down) and two attic bedrooms (you had to be careful not to bump your head). Unfortunately, the loo was outside; so if you needed to ‘go’ in the middle of the night you had to first negotiate the steep, creaky staircase and then go outside to the outhouse – none to pleasant in the middle of winter with thick frost laying on the ground!!! It was still fun tho and my aunt was a good sort (she was well into her 80s when my 6 siblings and I would visit with our parents) – she was a really good cook too. 🙂
Eek. I’ve once fallen down the stairs going to the loo. Not a fun experience.
My mom is the worst cook I know. That’s why I consider Electra’s extraordinary culinary skills as God’s way of rewarding me for my patience growing up 😀
Lol – speaking of stairs. My brothers once dared me to jump from the top of the stairs to the bottom, without jumping on the four steps in between, needless to say two badly grazed knees later….. I never tried jumping down stairs again, 🙂
See, God always rewards the patient – you definitely got lucky with Electra, lol 🙂
Lol – sure did, but don’t tell her that. She’s already got me wrapped around her little finger 😀
Lol, you know what they say: ‘Happy wife, happy life.’ 🙂
Lol – hadn’t heard of that, but I sure do share the feeling 😀
An interesting story, Nicholas. So glad you shared it.
Thanks! So glad it didn’t bore you to tears 🙂
Actually, it reminded me of our house on a mountainside in Jamaica.
Sweet!
i love it. And I can partly relate. My parents took an infinity to build the house of their dreams, but at least we lived in a place nearby, a tiny house under a very unstable clay cliff. Fun and games!
Oh, yes. Made for lots of memories!