Posted by Kremasti on April 11, 2002 at 11:06:19:
An elderly Greek man lay dying in his bed. While suffering the agonies of impending death, he suddenly smelled the aroma of his favorite sweet, freshly baked koulourakia, wafting up the stairs. He gathered his remaining strength, and lifted himself from the bed.
Leaning against the wall, he slowly made his way out of the bedroom, and with even greater effort, gripping the railing with both hands, he crawled downstairs.
With labored breath, he leaned against the door frame, gazing into the kitchen. Were it not for death's agony, he would have thought himself already in heaven, for there, spread out upon waxed paper on the kitchen table were literally hundreds of his favorite koulourakia. Was it heaven? Or was it one final act of heroic love from his devoted Greek wife of sixty years, seeing to it that he left this world a happy man?
Mustering one great final effort, he threw himself towards the table, landing on his knees in a rumpled posture. His parched lips parted, the wondrous scent of the fresh koulourakia was already teasing his mouth, seemingly bringing him back to life. The aged and withered hand trembled on its way to a warm koulouraki at the edge of the table, when suddenly --
WHHAACCKK!! -- his hand was smacked with a koutala by his wife......
"Hands off" she said sternly, "they're for the funeral."