Chapter 56, English

“Guess what!”

“What?” Said Sarah Markovich.

“I was invited to be a Cadette at the Military Highschool.”

“Wow! Really? That’s wonderful! But wait a moment, don’t you have to have high grades? And you know your grades aren’t that high.”

“Yeah, more like very low!” I said smiling at her. “Do you remember we had to take that weird exam?”

“The psychological, yes.”

“Well, maybe this had something to do with it. Moshe Kotler also told my Mom he wants me to apply for that fancy school for gifted kids.”

“You are gifted, alright!  Specially in English.”

“What can I say, I don’t like that mean teacher. Admit it, no one likes her either”

That mean teacher’s name was Tzila. She didn’t like me either. No matter what I did or try I could never be good by her. The only thing I learned in the last 2 years of English classes was to say and write “Tzila Is Gorilla.” 

“Here Haim,” said Ariella Lanski, “I managed to get from the teachers’ office a box of colored chalk, go for it!”

“I will do it tomorrow, before school starts.”

The next morning, I got up early to my Mother’s surprise and walked to school. I was the first in and went to work right away. 

Everybody was quiet when the bell rang. Tzila walked, surprised, looking at everyone who are usually noisy. And then she turned and looked at the blackboard she lost her balance and immediately sat on her chair but jumped right back from fear. Her chair made an explosive noise. She fell back to her chair and held her head with her palms while her elbows supporting her on the desk. She turned around again to look at the blackboard. The Board was decorated in multicolor large statement “Tzila is a Gorilla”.

“He did it!” yelled Ariella Lanski and pointed at me. I couldn’t believe the betrayal and said nothing. After all, she was the one who dared me to do it. Of course, I was sent to the Vice Principal and he gave me 2 weeks off from school after talking to my Mom…

Despite the mischief I was getting into, I was thinking about high school. My first choice was to go to a military high school. It wasn’t easy to be admitted to this school. You needed good grades, which mine weren’t so high but I hoped for them to get better. One needed to be in a very good shape and good health. I sent my applications and waited for an answer. 

 The invitation to go to the “military recruiting office” came a few weeks later. I was told not to eat anything before going and to be there on time. The office was in Ramat Gan, about an hour drive from my house if you go by car. I had to be there at 8:00AM. So, imagine, at 6:00 an eleven-year-old kid who looks like he was seven leaves his house and walked ½ a mile to the bus station. And take the bus to the central station. There I bought a ticket to Tel Aviv and took another bus. After an hour ride to Tel Aviv, I take another bus to Ramat Gan. The whole way I had people looking at me, who the hell let such a little boy ride a bus on his own. I was proud of myself for making it on time. It was the same military base where my uncle Rone took me so many years ago. I recognized it by the same tank at the entrance. 

“Nani Haim Tubi?” 

“That’s me.”

“Follow me,” said the nurse.

I followed her to the X ray room, and from there to a room where 3 doctors asked me to undress and they looked at me from all directions, asking me to move this way or that, bend down and stand up straight. They took my blood and urine then asked: “How old are you?”

“Eleven.”

“You look much younger, any medical problems?” 

“I had hepatitis when I was five. Oh, Mom asked me to tell you that I am allergic to dust.”

“Hmm,” said one of the doctors. “This could be a problem; our students have to be very healthy. We have them crawl in the mud, run in the desert and all kind of physical difficulties. We don’t know if this is a good fit for you.”

I walked away to the bus station on my way home humiliated and sad, I remembered how Shmulik Mahler made fun of me when he heard that I got the invitation. 

“One thing for sure,” I told Sarah Markovich, “I will never mention my allergies again”.

 

***

 

Quinoa Salad

 

Savory quinoa salad: This power food is reach with protein and is flavorful. Remember to wash the quinoa well and to lightly roast it to dry before cooking it. 

 

Ingredients:

1 Cup Quinoa

2 Cups Water

 ½ Cup Canned Chickpeas (or cooked)

1 Carrot

2 Scallions

1 Garlic Clove 

1 tsp Crushed Ginger 

½ Cup Chopped Parsley 

¼ Cup Cranberries

¼ Cup Pepitas

¼ Cup Lemon Juice

1 TBSP Honey

1 tsp Salt

1 TBSP Olive Oil

 

Cook the quinoa with ½ tsp salt and 2 cups of water until all the water is gone. Sauté the scallion, garlic, and ginger. Blanch the carrot and chop it to small pieces, add cranberries and the rest of the ingredients. Mix well and serve.

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