Saturday, November 04, 2006

Straight to the Airport

I did the butt-insky thing at a cafe yesterday. Listened to a conversation at a nearby table and interjected with an "I hope you don't mind but I overheard your conversation and.."

They: a man and woman in their 50's-ish. He: American. She: Israeli. He: Complaining about work and quality ethic in Israel. She: Listening attentively.

My butt-in was to ask how long he has been in Holy Land Central (HLC), how he deals with the frustrations and to share my fresh from the oven refrigerator story.

From upstate New York, he's been here six years. How he deals:

I use the F*ck You method. Say I'm swimming laps at the pool and I collide with another swimmer. Even if they're in the wrong, they'll begin hurling accusations immediately. Always on the offensive. So I've learned that instead of waiting for the assault, I immediately yell: "F*ck You!" at the other person. Back home I'd be booted from the pool or someone would call security or something. Here, it gets a dialogue going.

This guy, incidentally, is a therapist. That's my kind of Jungian theory!

One more share from Mr. F. You:

When asked why he's here, he pointed to his companion. And added:

But if heaven forbid she goes before me, it's straight from the cemetery to the airport.

Nothing like letting it all hang out, eh?

They've invited me 'round for dinner. I'm expecting a lot of laughs.

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