Out of the blue, and just ten minutes before closing time, a couple made its way through the door of the Youth Center where I’m employed.  Through the glass of the storefront, they had noticed the huge picture puzzle located on my office wall, and they wanted to snap a photo of it.

The story of that puzzle contains a little bit of drama, which I will now share with you.

That puzzle – all 9.000 pieces – was a clever purchase. Or so it seemed!

Anyway, it was bought . . . but who was going to put all those pieces together?

And, more importantly, where would it be done, since, when completed, it would cover more than two meters in length?

Well, the high school students and the undergraduates at the center were excited with that “challenge.” They pushed several tables together in one of the rooms and began, painstakingly, to put the pieces in place.

Many nights they stayed in the center until midnight, bending over the tables with the tiny pieces in their hands. It took them almost a year, but, finally, they completed it.

Veronese’s “Wedding at Cana” was ready!

Now came the next problem. What were we going to do with it? Unmake it, and throw into the wind all the labor of kids who worked so long and hard?

No, of course not! Maybe we could frame it? Yes, that was it! We were going to frame it!

But, as one problem was solved, one more was created.

How would it be transferred? The youth center management at that time had found someone who took it, framed it and brought it back.

Then, it was hung on the central wall of the ground floor to cover the back of a bookcase..

Now, another problem was solved . . .  at least for the time being.

As summer approached, we noticed the puzzle was swelling up..

Apparently, the craftsman had put cardboard in between the puzzle and the wood of the frame, which was puffing up from the humidity.

Of course, there was no glass on the front to keep it stable, so then . . . down it comes from the wall, where it stayed for the entire summer of 2006.

In September, we decided to do something drastic with that puzzle. We brought in another craftsman to repair it. However, he was unable to move it, so he had to fix the puzzle where it stood.

Two meters of glass, two meters of wood, two hours of our time – after quitting time!

At any rate, it was ready once again and – thank heaven – everyone agreed to hang it inside the office, rather than outside.

Very nice puzzle indeed, and quite impressive, but a bit depressing for small children, and it did hang in an inappropriate location to cover a “hole” in the back of a bookcase, which was exposed by a glass half-wall.

Now, for over a year, the puzzle – safe and sound – hangs on the wall of my office, and many passersby admire it through the glass windows.

Like the photographer and the saxophone lady.

Except in their case, they came in to admire it, and that impressed me.

As I chatted with the lady – I don’t know her name, so let’s call her “the saxophone lady” since she said she played the saxophone – he, the photographer, took pictures of the puzzle.

Then, he left for a while in order to bring something from their hotel, while she stayed there waiting.

In continuing our discussion, she told me they were from Chicago and were in Greece for a two-week vacation. They had been in Crete for four days, and then they would go to Santorini, Mykonos, Athens and back home.

“Far away from home,” I told her, thinking of the distance involved!

Then we gave her a gift, something that the kids had made – a pot with painted pasta instead of flowers. At that moment, the photographer returned with a gift for us – a CD of Nashville Country music.  (Very nice, by the way!)

Thus, I had a reason to write an article about that unfortunate puzzle with a happy ending, since it led to my meeting two gentle people who impressed me so much with their good manners and warm personalities.

It is rightly said: “Wherever you go you don’t carry your name, but your manners”.

Since the photographer gave me his card, I will send a copy of this newspaper to Chicago and they will learn the history of the puzzle that impressed them so much . . . and also my name, which I forgot to tell them! 

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