Chapter 19: BLESSINGS
God's Little Drop of Water
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The next week in school, Taliya arrived early for class. She took a seat in the front of the classroom and prepared for the day’s lessons to begin.
When the girl who normally occupied that seat arrived and found it already filled, Taliya merely suggested that there was a seat open in the back. This was her old seat beside Yarden, who was once again under the weather. The girl Taliya had displaced made her way to the open seat and Taliya felt a moment of remorse for having commandeered this desk. But Taliya also knew that she had made a deal with God and that she must now honor and uphold her portion of the agreement. Having a front-row seat in class was vital to that purpose.
When Gal began teaching, Taliya did her best to perform her approximation of learning. She had already read the material in each of her textbooks, of course, so she knew the answers to each of Gal’s questions. When none of the other students was able to answer, Taliya raised her hand high into the air, waited for Gal to call on her, and gave the answer.
Soon a pattern emerged, however. The majority of Gal’s questions went unanswered. Before long, Taliya was answering nearly every question. She understood the risk of being labeled a know-it-all.
No matter.
She had a promise to keep. That meant she would be an exemplary student. Besides, if none of the other children had bothered to read the assigned material, that was their problem, not hers.
That afternoon, once class had been dismissed and it was time to go home, Taliya made her way to Gal’s desk.
“Gal?”
“Yes, Taliya?”
“Was I a good student today?”
Gal paused in her shuffling of the papers upon her desk and turned to Taliya.
“Yes, of course.”
“Okay! Thank you.”
Taliya grabbed her backpack, which was always full of books and was therefore quite heavy, and headed out the door to find Yair before heading for home.
The next day, Taliya once more arrived early, claimed the same seat, paid close attention to every word Gal said, and did her best to answer Gal’s questions after none of the other students was able to do so.
After class, when the other students were scrambling to the door, Taliya once more approached Gal’s desk.
“Gal?”
“Yes?”
Gal was busier now than she had been yesterday, and she did not look to Taliya before answering.
“Was I a good student today?”
With this, Taliya gained Gal’s full attention.
“Yes, of course you were.”
“Okay! Thank you.”
Taliya retrieved her backpack, which was just as full and therefore every bit as heavy as it had been yesterday, and she headed out the door to find Yair.
Taliya repeated this process the next day.
And the next day.
And the day after that.
And for many, many days following.
And, every day, Gal assured Taliya that she had been an exemplary pupil.
Until one day, once class had been dismissed, when Taliya was approaching Gal’s desk, and Gal saw Taliya coming.
Before Taliya could ask, Gal said, “Yes, you were a good student today. You are a good student every day. And I am confident that you will be a good student every day going forward. It is therefore not necessary that you come every day to my desk in order to ask me if you have been a good student. You are always a good student, Taliya. Do you understand?”
“Yes, I understand. But it’s okay, I don’t mind asking. I need to be certain. Bye!”
And with that, Taliya heaved her backpack onto her shoulder and headed out the door to find Yair, struggling with the weight of her books and banging into the door frame only slightly.
♦♦♦
That Friday, Shishi, Taliya was at home with her brothers and Ima, watching television until Abba arrived home from work. Taliya and her brothers were watching The Love Boat, as they did every Shishi. Taliya enjoyed the story and characters on the program, as well as the majesty and grandeur of taking an ocean voyage on such a beautiful and luxurious vessel. She wanted very much to see the world when she got older. Her mind began to calculate the possibilities of working on such a ship, how one went about it, what sort of education was required, and who she would have to speak to in order to get such a job.
Taliya’s reverie was interrupted, however, when Ima strode through the room wearing an outfit which was different from what she’d been wearing that morning.
That could only mean one thing: they were going out.
It was Shishi, after all, and Ima and Abba frequently met friends for dinner, sometimes at a restaurant in Ashdod, right on the beach, or at a restaurant in the port of Tel Aviv, which was also on the water. The close proximity to the beautiful Mediterranean Sea was something Taliya adored about living in Israel. She had seen black-and-white photographs of herself at the beach with Ima and Abba, wearing her swimsuit and sunglasses and a hat, and clutching the handles of a small wheelbarrow while staring out at the sea, deep in thought. Each time Taliya saw that photograph, she tried to imagine what she had been thinking about when it was taken. What had been on her mind? The girl in that photo appeared very deep in thought.
As Taliya was now, watching her mother flit about the apartment putting on jewelry and shoes and adjusting her blouse and hair.
“Are you going out?” Taliya asked.
“Ken,” replied Ima. Ken meant yes in Hebrew. “Abba called and suggested we meet Ilana and Samuel in Ashdod. Can you watch your brothers like you did last time? Or shall I find a babysitter?”
“No, I can do it!” Taliya declared at once. She neither needed nor wanted a babysitter. Neither she nor either of her brothers was a baby. Besides, both of their past babysitters had fallen asleep. Each of the girls may as well have not even been there, for all the good they did sleeping on the sofa when they should have been awake and minding the children they’d been put in charge of and earning the money they were being paid.
Taliya was pleased that Abba and Ima would allow her to look after her brothers that evening. They could then save the money they would have spent on the babysitter. She would actually stay awake, so Abba and Ima would be getting an excellent babysitter. Taliya was constantly on the lookout for ways in which she could help Abba and Ima save money. This would be one such opportunity.
Taliya went back to watching The Love Boat. Captain Stubing was up to something, as usual. But Taliya’s mind was fixed on money and numbers as she contemplated how much would be saved by not having to hire a babysitter.
Taliya recalled what it had been like when Ima and Abba had travelled to Europe. It had been twenty-one days of waiting, during which she had made her sacred, solemn pact with God to bring them home safely.
That evening, once Ima and Abba went to meet their friends for dinner in Ashdod, Taliya crafted an addendum to her agreement with God. She promised that if He brought Ima and Abba home safely just as soon as possible, she and her brothers would love their neighbors, as was ordered by the Ten Commandments. All children in Israel had Bible studies in school, and Taliya knew the Ten Commandments well.
She therefore turned off the television, bade her brothers put on their shoes, and together the three of them rode the tiny elevator to the lobby of their building. They went through the front door and proceeded to occupy the front steps. And each time someone passed by, Taliya called out, “Have a blessed evening!”
Many of the passersby smiled or offered thanks or a similar blessing.
Yair and Yaroni soon sat down upon the steps. But Taliya remained standing, and continued offering a blessing to everyone who passed by. Yair was rather embarrassed, so Taliya assured him that he need not speak, that she would do all the talking.
Many of the passersby enjoyed Taliya’s blessing, and commented how sweet she and her brothers were to offer.
After awhile, Yaroni said, “Tali, ani rotse my’im.”
Yaroni was thirsty and wanted water.
Taliya assured him that they would go upstairs soon. She continued to offer blessings to everyone who passed by.
But soon the number of passersby began to wane, and Taliya suspected it was growing late. Yaroni had asked for water several times.
Taliya led her brothers inside. The elevator did not seem to be functioning, however, so Taliya took Yaroni by the hand and led him and Yair up the stairs. They proceeded very slowly, so that Yaron’s tiny legs could climb the stairs one step at a time until, at last, they reached the fourth floor and the door to their apartment.
Once inside, Taliya filled three glasses with water, one for each of them. Yaroni drank all of his water in one go and asked for more: “Ode.”
Taliya refilled her brother’s glass and he drained it as well.
The three of them sat on the sofa and watched television while they waited for Ima and Abba to arrive.
But Yaroni and Yair both soon fell asleep. Taliya helped them to their bedroom, helped them put on their pajamas, and tucked each of them into bed. She then proceeded to make her way around the apartment, turning on every light and every lamp.
Taliya sat upon the sofa, struggling to stay awake while she watched television. Having to get up and go over to the TV every few minutes aided in remaining awake.
At last Taliya heard her mother’s heels clicking on the sidewalk downstairs as she and Abba made their way from the car to the door of the building. Taliya leaped from the sofa, turned off the television, and ran all about the apartment, taking care of each one of the lights she had turned on. She then dove into her bed and curled beneath the covers with Mimi, where she pretended to be asleep when Ima and Abba came in to check on her.
Once they were preparing for bed themselves, Taliya spoke to God, thanking Him very much for bringing Ima and Abba safely home.
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