were mean exactly, just that they didn’t see the point in making
niceties all the time. They were more efficient than that.
I had made every effort to get on Anat’s good side up until this
point, so I figured that she was being unusually sweet to me as
payment for being such an exceptional kiss-ass. I prided myself on a
job well done, but was curious what sort of gift she was going to
bestow on me in her office. Maybe she would offer me an easier job,
or extend to me a raise on my stipend—a rare reward for hard-
working volunteers. A little spark of hope ignited inside me, thinking
that she might have some news on Yippee, but I really had no idea
what this was all about, so I decided to shelve my guesses and see
what happened once we got to her office.
I remember that it was a beautiful, sunny day in October. Things
had cooled off considerably since I had first arrived in Israel, and a
few rare showers had emphasized the amount of green in the area.
Everything had looked peaceful and well-nourished. The respite from
the heat had also helped to raise the spirits of the volunteers, whom
were mostly from cooler climates, and had been beaten down by the
searing temperatures over the last few weeks. It was a nice change,
really. As we walked down the path that led to Anat’s office, a small
hummingbird fluttered down a few feet in front of my face, hovered
for a moment, and then flew off into the nearby orchard. At first, it
startled me, but then I watched it fly off into the distance and
momentarily wished that I could sprout wings and follow it into the
cool air of the early morning. It was going to be a gorgeous day, I
remember thinking then. It was really going to be something special,
and at that moment I realized that I felt really alive. Its funny how life
plays tricks on you. At least, that’s the way I remembered it later.
I walked into Anat’s office and sat down. It was a mess as usual.
There were all sorts of supplies lying around, and everyone’s laundry
was strewn all over the place. An array of broken fans that Anat could
not seem to get around to fixing littered the floor and judging by the
layer of dust, probably would for a few months more. I smiled at Anat
as she looked for something on her desk. Noting the condition of her
desk, I figured this was going to be a long break. Finally, she pulled
out a blue slip of paper and sat down, facing me.
“Jake, there is something important I have to discuss with you
now. First, let me give you this.” It was a small blue piece of paper
with a lot of Hebrew letters all over it. It meant nothing to me.
“Thank you,” I said gamely, “what is it?”
BIG AMERICAN BREAKFAST
56
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