the zeros I start the motor and depart from this vale of tears. Gaddi opens the door for me now I remember what Iâve forgotten itâs his present. The lights are all on in the house the babyâs in her high chair in the living room surrounded by toys facing the TV watching Begin on the Arabic news the dining table is full of dirty dishes scattered papers a tube of paint grandpa is sitting drinking coffee Gaddi runs to bring me a big picture Yaâel comes out of the kitchen in an apron. âWhat happened? We were so worried. I didnât understand a thing. What hundred thousand pounds went down the drain?â âIt didnât. It came back up again.â âDid you see my mother?â âOf course.â âDid something go wrong?â âNo. Everythingâs fine.â I head for the bathroom with her on my heels and Gaddi on hers. âWe didnât know when youâd come, so we ate without you.â âThatâs okay. I just hope you left something for me.â âOf course we did. Did something go wrong, Kedmi?â âIf youâd allow me to take a leak there might be some prospect of your serving me supper.â I shut the door in Gaddiâs face to keep him from gate-crashing with his picture. I pee I wash my hands and face at the sink I go around the house turning off unneeded lights finally I sit down at the table. Grandpa moves his chair closer to me his face pale and serious. âSo tell us ...â âIn a minute. Just let me first put something in my stomach to draw the blood down there so that it doesnât explode in my brain. If Kedmi gets a stroke, the Kaminkas will pay dearly.â I settle into my chair take the check from my pocket place it on the table read it like the morning paper itâs certainly better news. He gets up stricken and walks about the room Yaâel sends Gaddi to the bathroom the baby quiets down so does Begin thereâs just background music now. Yaâel looks pitifully gray and tired. âDidnât you eat all day long? Your mother called a few times to say she was waiting for you for lunch. Where did you disappear to? Did something happen?...Why donât you say something?...She was terribly worried.â âThen call her and tell her that Iâm here with my mouth full of food. You can spare me the pleasure and her the worry ...â All at once he stops pacing the room and bursts out: âWhat happened? Did you see her?â âOf course I did. Could I have some more egg, please?â âHow is she?â âSheâs fine. She was watering the trees.â âBut what did she say? How did she receive you?â âVery hospitably. By the way, you have regards from the dog. He thanks you for the powder, Yaâel.â I take a last look at the check I fold it and replace it in my pocket. âDid she sign?â âAlmost. She wants to think about it some more.â âTo think?â âSuch things happen.â Why am I doing this to them? Is it just my lousy character? At last Yaâel exclaims almost in tears: âCanât you talk like a human being? You insisted on going by yourself and now itâs like pulling teeth to get a word out of you.â âAll right, all right. I only wanted to eat in peace. Iâm sorry, I didnât realize that you were so impatient.â (Kissinger presents his report to the Israeli government.) âI arrived there at three-thirty. I spoke with a young doctor whom I had to wake up. He said she was in good shape. A few of her friends in the hospital knew what I had come for too. I found her tanned and spry-looking, watering the trees. I donât know if thatâs some new sort of therapy but in any case it definitely works. Thereâs no comparing the way she is now with her condition several years ago. Do you remember that time I was with you,