Chapter 40, Tubi Theatre

“You can’t trust the people in that building,” said Dad about the southern building. “Most of them don’t work or go to school. As you can see, they fight amongst themselves all the time and I would be happy if you don’t make friends with them.” 

I personally didn’t like that idea; I liked to make friends and give everyone a chance. Also, being a target for pure racism, I was surprised that dad had misconceptions about people from North Africa. It is still a phenomenon that I am trying to understand. Yet, Dad said and so I tried to stay away.

Dad and I were busy setting up his new Jeweler’s desk. This time he had it made by a professional. That heavy desk we built from the woods we found on the beach was dismantled and put away. The new desk had drawers and a nice leather apron to catch the cuttings of the gold and even a nice light and a lot of new tools. I loved looking at dad work. He made all kind of jewelry. I saw him make rings, chains, earrings, and even cross pendants. I think it had a calming effect on him. I wanted to make some too. But Dad told me never to touch the tools in his desk. The tools I had were toy tools. I got them when I was very young, they didn’t cut anything or hold anything. They were plastic or wood. The only chance I had to work with real tools was at school, at the arts and craft workshop. 

The desk was setup in the far end of the balcony where there was no chance it would get wet from the rain or too dry from the sun. Every night after finishing his work, Dad covered it with a tarp. Sometimes I Would pick under the tarp to look at his tools and wish I had some.

One day I was introduced to a new tool at school. It looked very much like dad’s Bow Saw. Except, that it had a much deeper bow. It was designed to work with plywood. To cut shapes and create ornaments. I loved working with it. At the arts and craft workshop I cut trees and flowers out of thin plywood, painted them and displayed them at school. I was so tempted to use Dad’s saw but didn’t have the courage to take it out of the desk. I just peeked and looked at it, wishing I had one.

Now, you might think I am crazy or that I am making it all up but whatever happened next, I still can’t believe happened. 

In the “forbidden” building (that is how Avi, and I called it) Lived a young family with three daughters one was much older than us but the other two were about our age, they seemed quiet and sweet. They were also very cute, but do you remember? We were not allowed to make friends with the people who lived there. Yet, that day I saw the two young girls walking toward our balcony. I never talked with them before, I didn’t even know their name. They walked straight toward me, there was no doubt about it. 

“Hey!” One of them said to me.

“Hey,” I answered.

“Look what I have,” she said and extended her arm showing it to me. I was speechless. She held in her had a brand-new bow saw.

“Can you use it?” she asked. “I have no use for it, we were just cleaning out our house and I found it. I don’t know what it’s for. So, do you want it?”

“Do I want it?” I asked quietly. “Are you a fallen angel? I was praying for this for a week. I’ll tell you what, you give me that and I will make stuff with it so we can all play with. I will call you when I am ready.”

For the next two weeks I didn’t go out to play with the neighborhood kids. I was rushing back home with pieces of plywood the teacher gave me. I was drawing lines on them and cutting along them and before you know it, I built a small puppets stage. Mom gave me some left-over cloth she had, and I made a curtain. I took the heads of dolls Avi broke and sawed new bodies for them with places for my fingers to move like arms and as soon as they were all ready, I called the two girls to come play with me. I was waving hi to them every day when they came back from school. But this time I waved them to come over. I never learned their names, but we got to spend many days playing together. They brought some old broken dolls too and we made even more poppets. After a while, I ended up giving them that whole theatre and felt good about it.

 

 

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Grape Tomatoes Salad

 

Cherry tomatoes are an Israeli Invention. They are sweet and a little sower. This salad is fresh, pretty, and irresistible. 

 

Ingredients:

1 lb. Grape or Cherry Tomatoes Cut in Halves

¼ Cup Sliced Almonds

1 TBSP Chopped Jalapeno

¼ Cup Fresh Basil Cut Up

½ tsp Salt

2 TBSP Olive Oil

2 TBSP Lemon

 

Preparation:

Mix all, let sit for 30 minutes and serve.