Last One Home

“Mom when are you coming home?”

“What do you mean when am I coming home? I just left.”

“What’s to eat?”

“There’s cereal — Cheerios — if you want. I bought it specially for you.

“Honey Cheerios?

“No but there’s delicious strawberry yogurts in the milk drawer.”

“You ate those already.”

“Hold on. Hold on Rafi. Hello Dr. Reinfeld’s office”

“I need an appointment. Is four o’clock okay?”

“Four-thirty’s okay. Not four.”

“Fine.”

“Please remember to bring 18 shekels and your Leumit card.”

Click.

“Rafi how about a cheese toast?”

“I need 20 shekels.”

“For what?”

“I’m going to town with my friends.”

“Where?”

“Around.”

“Around where?”

“The town.”

“To do what?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why do you need to go to town? Invite the boys over to us.…

“No I’m not joking. You could ride the new bike we bought you. Play with the basketball net we cemented over the garden.

“Hold on. Hold on. Rafi one second. Hello Dr. Reinfeld’s office.… There are no appointments until after 4:30. You could try back later or better yet if there are any cancellations we’ll call you. …I have your number. … Rafi You could play that game you just bought.”

“Mom!”

“Rafi. … Hold on. Dr. Reinfeld’s office.… There are no more [YK1] appointments today.… Rafi don’t move. I’m going to call Binyamin and see if he has what to do.”

Click and dial.

“Binyamin it’s Ima. How are you? … You’ve got a flat?”

“Two flats.”

“Are you joking? Where’d you drive?”

“Don’t ask.”

“Okay this time I won’t.”

“You need something Ima?”

“Actually I do.”

“Yeah?”

“Well the story’s like this …”

“Not Rafi.”

“Rafi.”

“Oh Ima he’s so spoiled.

“I know. I know. You know I just heard a nice story about two siblings. You have patience to hear it?”

“I have an hour to kill before the truck gets here.”

“So this mother was standing in some ice cream store or the grocery with her oldest child and her youngest. She buys the young one a popsicle — you remember the kind that had two sides?”

“Yeah.”

“So she hands this youngest child the popsicle and the oldest sibling says ‘When we were little you broke the popsicle in half and gave each of us only a half.’$$separate quotes$$”

“Yeah.”

“So the mother answers ‘When you were young you had a whole family so you could be happy with half an ice; your brother on the other hand has half a family so he needs a whole ice.’

“You forget you had five brothers and sisters to play with all day when you were young and Ima was home all day. You didn’t need the bike and the ball and the camp.”

“So what does he need?”

“A friend. A brother.”

“But he’s so hard.”

“He’s so alone. And — not everything’s easy. I know when he’s quiet he’s sulky. If he’s happy he’s jumping at you. That’s because when a person gets socially off balance they become clumsy and one clumsiness leads to the next.”

“But at least he doesn’t get picked on like we did.”

“Sometimes an older sibling’s pickings help refine.”

“Rafi lives in a cushioned vacuum of silence. I’m not exaggerating.”

“Hold on. Hold on. Dr. Reinfelds office.… 5:15. Bring your Leumit card and 18 shekels.… Abba’s out all day — and I don’t get home till seven. Thank G-d the Rappaports live down the street. Poor kid thinks he lives there.”

“He does live there Mom.”

“I’ll try Eli to see if he has the time. I’m really sorry about your flat tires.… I know you love Rafi.”

Click and dial.

“Eli it’s Ima. What are you up to?”

“You need me to take Rafi?”

“Bingo. I really need you to take Rafi for an hour or two.… It’s not true. I do not only call when I need you to take Rafi. Hold on. Hold on. Dr. Reinfeld’s office. … After 6:00. Please bring your Leumit card and 18 shekels.”

“Fine.”

“Hello Eli sorry. You know what? I’ll call you later. Bye. Love you.… I know you love Rafi.”

Click and dial.

“Hila honey? Hi sweetie. What are you up to?”

“It’s a lazy day.”

“Lazy day? How lazy?”

“Very.”

“You’re exhausted.”

“Exams.”

“Maybe later this afternoon you have an hour or two?”

“For Rafi right? Maybe next week.”

“I know you love Rafi.”

Click and dial.

“Ima I need the 20 shekels.”

“Rafi …”

“I’m just getting a slice of pizza and a drink.”

“Under the third cabinet drawer in the bookshelf there’s a little gold metal box. See if the coins add up to twenty. I keep it for emergency.… Come back before it’s dark. I’m coming home early to meet you.… You’re welcome. Your welcome I think.… I know. I love you Rafi.”

He’s the last one home.