Benito like the oaf he wasinvaded Greece and got defeatedat Himarra and numerous othertowns along the Albanian roadby evzones, kilted and carrying bagpipeslike the shepherds of Epirus,their girlfriends steadfastly at their sidefeeding them ammo and rolling their smokes.So Adolf decided to demonstrateto the dimwitted Duce how easy it wasto add a new country to his list.But British intelligence intercepted his planand strange planes appeared in the Athenian sky:Olivia Manning said the sightwas so fantastically futuristicshe thought the war was over and anentire lifetime had elapsed.The planes were British Spitfires.And now a lifetime has really elapsed.Olivia Manning died in her seventieseighteen years ago and we who were mere infants when Adolfand Benito roared like bulls in springtimeare getting grey and meditative.We used to rock around the clockbut now we walk around the block.Today for instance I managed to mowall two acres of Jane's lawnthen raked the cuttings and deposited themin her monstrous compost heap.In the morning there'll be heavymists and bleeding hearts, my handshappily blistered and bandaged.But when the mists lift we'll beholdthe most beautiful lawn of the century.