Desbina the Greek.

I met Desbina last night. Never met anyone with that name before. In fact, I never had heard of the name. But apparently it’s a fairly popular name in Greece. That’s where Desbina was born. But the family moved to Germany when she was four. And now she’s become a German, more or less. Works for the German city of Oberhausen. Which is a ‘sister’ city of Carbonia in Sardinia, where I’m living this winter. Officials from the two cities meet with each other regularly. Because they have something in common. A history of coal mining. They exchange all sorts of pleasantries. Cultivating good relations for the sake of good relations. A novel idea, isn’t it? Actually, acting like sisters. Anyway, Desbina is in a four-member Oberhausen delegation spending three days in Carbonia. Chumming around.  My Italian true love knows Desbina. From a visit two years ago to Oberhausen. And they’ve developed a friendship. Lucky for me. Because the three of us had dinner together, and that made for fine conversation and a delightful evening. Because I got to know interesting stuff about Desbina. That her name is derived from the Greek word meaning despot. I’ve always concluded that ‘despot’ means a person, especially a ruler, who has unlimited power over other people, and often uses it unfairly and cruelly. Believe me, Desbina isn’t that sort.  She’s very amiable and accommodating and anything but a tyrant. A good ambassador for Oberhausen, too. Turns out that the  Greek meaning for despot is head mistress of a household. But not a tyrannical one. I’m also jealous of Desbina. Because she speaks three languages fluently: Greek, German and English. I have trouble enough mastering one. Another thing, Desbina has a tongue-twister Greek surname. I was gonna use it here. But my true love put the kibosh on that. Saying that I can’t. Unless I have Desbina’s permission. And at this point, I haven’t asked her yet. Though I see no reason why she would object. The name is the Greek word for beautiful victory. Meanwhile, Desbina has whet my appetite for a visit to Greece some day. Neither my true love or I have ever been there. Desbina recommends Greece in all but the summertime. Gets unbearably hot. But to tell the truth, I’ll take Greece anyway I can get it. Hot or cold. Especially if I had a Desbina as guide. I have long thought of myself as a spiritual Athenian kind of Greek. One in love with the pleasures of life, including learning and civil discourse and good food and true love of life.  I suspect that applies to Desbina, too. –Jim Broede