It's been nearly a month now since we landed in Tel Aviv...not an easy touchdown what with Tonny being stopped at the airport for having a passport that looked like - as described by the border policeman who stepped outside the interrogation offices to brief me - "taped together pieces of paper that the dog chewed up"...
He would've been flown back to San Francisco upon arrival for lack of cleaner identifying paperwork had it not been for the kind, Danish consulate attache who taxied to the airport, verified his identity and issued him a temporary passport on the spot. Meanwhile, myself, 3-year-old child, dog and 8 overstuffed pieces of luggage waited 2 hours for him to be released following our 24-hour journey. No refreshment, change of clothing or room to move about since once we passed customs we wouldn't be allowed back in to verify Tonny's status.
Finally decided it was too much what with head swirling, feeling faint and knowing that I must get child and dog out of there regardless of whether or not father was sent back to U.S. Taxied into Tel Aviv and that's where it all began... Tonny was released, by the way. He lost his entire wallet, with temporary passport, two days later but that's another entry...
Weeks later, it feels like months. One thing that continues to amaze is how animal-like we humans are vis a vis sense of smell and sound. In other words, the smells and sounds are bringing back memories like mad. Smells of the petrol in traffic, of sun dried dog poo on the sidewalks, of dill in a vegetable salad, the Carmel market, sweaty bodies on a crowded bus, pigeons cooing in the morning, birds singing, the musty, seaweed odor of the tepid, Mediterranean waters.
It is wonderful being back. It feels like home. I'll give it a bit before I start to scream at everyone and blow my cool all over the place. I'm thinking Zen..Karma...(yeah, right)
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