Chapter 49, Young Medic

Dad didn’t sleep well again that night. Dad had an ulcer in his stomach. If he had a bad day at work, he took it too heart and his wound would fester and hurt him. A week ago, Dad received his dismissal from the military reserves. He was reassigned to “HAGA” the “Old Crew” the town defenders because of his ulcer. The only thing that helped him was eating yogurt or just resting and trying to forget the stress. Now dad had a new thing to worry about; The “Old Crew” wanted him to take a new course. He was training to be a medic. As you remember, Dad didn’t even finish elementary school. He had to go to work at the age of 11 and help support his family. Dad’s reading skills were not so good. In fact, he barely knew the Hebrew letters, from his “Bar-Mitzvah” days. 

 “I need your help,” Dad told me. “I need you to help me read this book.” He showed me a big book of anatomy. “Oh, and this one too.” And he showed me another book of medical procedures in the battlefield. 

It was not easy; I wasn’t a great reader either. The words looked backward to me so many times. And it was very difficult to concentrate with all that was happening outside.

It was the holiday of “Shavuot”, we were sitting on our balcony and trying to read Dad’s anatomy book. Outside on top of the neighbors’ roof stood a bunch of the Libyan kids. On top of the fourth floor each one of them had a bucket in his hand. The moment one person came out of the building a bucket of water was emptied on his or her Head. There was no escape from them. On the ground other kids were holding water hoses and were washing every walker by.

“What’s going on? I asked Dad.

“Oh that,” said Dad, “we need to concentrate. The Tripolitanians have an old tradition. They believe we need to be washed of our sins and be pure for the receiving the Torah. Anyway, let’s continue, should we get inside?”

“No, I’m ok, let’s continue.”

Dad told me about the exercises they were doing at the course and how he made friends with a very big Veterinarian who was in the course with him. He told me about the dissections of animals they were doing to learn more about the anatomy. I learned how to put a bandage, how to stop bleeding and even how to give a shot or an infusion. I learned the names of the bones and the names of the muscles. Dad was learning too, it wasn’t easy for him, but he was ready to take the test. He passed it and was happy to become a medic. Me? Just waisted my time instead of playing with my friends.

 

 

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Harissa

 

Hot, very hot! This is what I can say about this sauce. We use it to spice up many North African dishes. Depending on the type of hot pepper we use it will determine how hot the sauce will turn out.

 

Ingredients:

¼ Lb. Dry Hot Pepper

5 Garlic Cloves 

1 tsp Salt

2 TBSP Olive Oil

 

Preparation:

  Peal and wrap the garlic in tin foil and bake for ½ hour at 400F. Put the pepper and garlic, oil and salt in a blender and crush it to semismooth consistency. Put in a jar and keep refrigerated. You can use as much or as little as you like to spice any dish. As long as the oil covers the sauce it will last for a very long time.

 

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