We are in a military barrack of the "Armored Division" camp with closed windows and soldier guards with fixed bayonets, and as I looked at everyone in pajamas, except for the head of the Center, Georgios Papandreou, I thought they were getting ready to lie down on the completely made military beds, empty along the barracks.

However, the pajamas - as they explained to me - did not imply the meaning of… lying down, because this was how they had all been brought, hastily from their beds at home, at two in the morning, as I said, in a rush, without allowing them to take anything with them, not even a suit.

- But you, Mr. President... I see you are dressed...

Papandreou smiled: - What happened to me, dear friend, was as follows: I was sleeping deeply when I woke up to a noise. I opened my eyes and suddenly saw above my bed a captain in uniform, dark in appearance, holding a pistol and telling me with obvious annoyance: "Get up, Mr. President! Wake up quickly, Mr. President!".

He may have been black or very dark-skinned, or maybe it just seemed that way to me, as I had woken up so abruptly. The first thought that crossed my mind was: "He’s going to execute me!". But he... was not executing me! He only held the pistol and kept repeating: "Quickly, Mr. President! Get up, Mr. President!". The impression I formed immediately was that he... was more afraid than I was!

"Wait, my child," I told him, "let me get dressed, at least let me put on my shoes!" I got out of bed and started to get dressed while my man was continually anxious and kept repeating nervously: "Quickly, Mr. President, quickly, Mr. President!".

But once I realized that he did not have the order to execute me, I calmed down, got dressed as comfortably as the circumstances allowed, which certainly was not ideal for making an exceptionally well-prepared toilet!

[Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]