Chapter 2: TALIYA'S UNIVERSITY
God's Little Drop of Water
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The next morning, Sunday, yom Rishon, everyone awoke to the first day of the week. Taliya had heard that children in other parts of the world enjoyed both Saturday and Sunday as part of their weekend, and attended school only five days per week instead of six the way she and the other children in Israel did. She was not yet certain if this were true. One day, she would travel the world and discover if it were truly so.
Taliya put on her favorite denim overalls, the ones with the prominent patch on the front which read AMERICAN JEANS. She adored things from America. It seemed to be such a vast place, one full of possibilities equally vast. Perhaps, one day, she would even live there, and would become a United States citizen.
Taliya collected her hair into two pigtails, one on each side, and secured them with her favorite red hair ties. She quickly brushed her teeth, washed her face, and went to the kitchen.
Abba was already there, cooking breakfast and preparing sandwiches for everyone to eat during lunch.
Yairi was still in bed, fast asleep. He always waited until the last possible moment to rise from bed and prepare for the day ahead.
Yaroni was busy with Ima, picking out his clothes for the day. Ima herself was only half-dressed, trying to put on her lipstick and her second shoe, hopping about while helping Yaroni to dress himself. Yaroni objected to Ima’s choice of checkers and stripes for him, stating that they didn’t go together. Yaroni’s fashion sense was quite astute for a five-year-old.
“Yair!” Ima called, as she assisted Yaroni with his socks.
Taliya took her seat at the table. It was a long, L-shaped counter on one side of the small galley kitchen. Everyone sat upon small white stools, and Taliya’s place was on the short side of the L. She liked that this was her place.
Abba had her bowl of oatmeal waiting for her.
Taliya did not care for oatmeal.
She used her spoon to dig through the oatmeal, making her way to the bottom of the bowl. Sometimes Abba hid a piece of chocolate there. Like hidden treasure.
Alas, the bottom of the bowl contained only more oatmeal.
“Is the oatmeal good?” Abba asked.
“Uh-huh.” Taliya’s lack of enthusiasm was readily apparent.
Abba retrieved a piece of chocolate from the refrigerator and placed it in Taliya’s oatmeal. He used her spoon to hide it somewhere in the bottom of the bowl. “Better?” he asked.
“Yes. Todah, Abba.”
“Bevahkeshah.”
A supreme effort was required on the part of Taliya to exercise patience: she had to give the chocolate adequate time to melt beneath the hot oatmeal.
“Yair!” Ima called again. Ima went to her desk and began depositing her lesson plans into her brown satchel.
At last, Taliya could resist no longer. She dove into the oatmeal, devouring spoon after spoon, searching for the chocolate, which she soon found. In mere moments, her mouth was covered in melted chocolate. This was a common occurrence.
“Taliya, are you sure you know where to take Yaron?” Ima asked.
“Yes, Ima.”
A moment later, Yair entered the kitchen. He had risen from bed, dressed, washed his face, brushed his teeth, combed his hair, and was ready for school. He quietly began to eat his oatmeal.
Yaroni joined them and the children ate together.
“Make sure you hold Yaroni’s hand,” said Ima.
“I will,” said Taliya.
“I can walk myself,” said Yaron.
Ima gave each of them a kiss before making her way out of the apartment on the fourth floor and on to school, where her new class would soon be waiting for her.
Once everyone had finished their breakfast and the kitchen was cleaned up, they made their way downstairs with lunches in hand and backpacks upon their backs.
Abba escorted them two blocks, where he made the turn toward the bus stop. He caught the company bus every morning. Abba was an engineer and worked for the largest aerospace firm in the country. He was rumored to be working on a brand new secret airplane for the military.
Abba gave each of his three children a hug and a kiss and sent them on their way.
Taliya took Yairi by one hand and Yaroni by the other and led them up the hill. The September morning air was already growing warm.
After several blocks, they reached Yaron’s preschool, where he became excited upon seeing his two preschool teachers.
Taliya and Yair continued on until they reached their elementary school. They said their goodbyes and Taliya watched as Yair joined the sea of children making their way into the building.
Once she was certain that her brother was safely inside, Taliya made a swift u-turn and returned the way they had just come, until she reached their building on Strauss Street. She used her key to open the door, climbed the stairs to the fourth floor (because the tiny elevator was broken again), and let herself into the apartment.
Taliya wasted no time. She removed her books from her backpack and arranged them carefully on the coffee table in the order in which she would need them, along with her notebooks, her pens, and her pencils.
With everything prepared, she went to the kitchen, poured herself a glass of chocolate milk, fetched two squares of dark chocolate, and returned to the sofa. She turned on the small television and adjusted the volume as the one-and-only channel appeared: the Education Channel. The small screen showed the opening of one of Taliya’s favorite programs: The Magic Stick, starring Gabby and Debby. Gabby and Debby were two Israeli teenagers, and they used their magical stick to travel not only throughout the world, but through time itself, exploring strange lands in far-away places where they met new and interesting people. Best of all, Gabby and Debby spoke in English. This was most important, for Taliya knew that learning English would be her ticket to exploring the world.
Taliya carefully titled the first sheet of paper in her new notebook:
TALIYA’S UNIVERSITY
She then set about the very serious business of listening to every word spoken by Gabby and Debby, so that her English reading, writing, and speaking skills would be every bit as good as theirs. This same accomplishment would take many months in regular school, and Taliya was not about to subject herself to the menial academic ministrations of the mean teacher, Gal.
Taliya then created a syllabus for herself:
1. English
2. English
3. Science
4. English
She was very pleased with her academic schedule. As she had explained to Abba, she had already read her school books over the duration of the summer. Sitting in Gal’s classroom, surrounded by children who had not read them, would surely be a waste of precious time.
Around lunch time, Taliya grabbed the sandwich Abba had prepared for her and left the apartment, making certain to lock the door securely as she went.
Once downstairs, she ate her sandwich. Today it was hummus and olives. Delicious! She ate as she walked and by the time she reached her school, she was all done. She soon found Yair and asked him if all was well, if he was enjoying his first day.
Yair shrugged.
Taliya fully understood the sentiment.
When it was time for the students to return to class, Taliya said goodbye to her brother, assuring him that they would meet after school in order to walk home together. She then hurried home, let herself into the building, climbed the many stairs up to the fourth floor, and sat herself before the television in time for the beginning of the science program.
Taliya took copious notes on everything which was said on the television.
Before long, it was time to go. School would be letting out soon and she must be there to greet her brother as promised.
Taliya returned her things to her backpack, turned off the television, tidied up, and was out the door.
By the time she reached the school, she was very warm, as the day had grown hot. Abba said it was because they lived in the Mediterranean, and that the Lord had blessed them with a temperate climate in which to grow an abundance of fruits and vegetables. The sea itself was also very warm and amenable to swimming. Taliya adored the sea. Abba took her there often.
As they walked home, Taliya asked Yair about his first day, about his teacher, and about the other children in his class.
Yair said it was alright.
Taliya knew Yair was bored by school. Her brother was very smart. This was why he could remain in bed so late every morning and why he seldom took notes during class. He said he could remember what the teacher said. It was surely true because Yair always earned high marks.
Once home in their apartment, Taliya and Yair both lie down on the stone floor, which was cool and refreshing after their journey in the afternoon sun.
A short while later, Ima arrived home with Yaroni. She sat at her desk and returned to her lesson plans, preparing for the next school day.
Taliya, Yairi, and Yaroni took their usual place on the small balcony, where they gazed down upon Strauss Street in eager anticipation of Abba returning home from work. They speculated as to whether or not Abba would bring presents, as he often did.
Before long, they saw a figure approaching. As it drew near, they realized who it was.
“Abba! Abba!” they called from the balcony.
When Abba drew closer, he looked up and waved at his three children smiling down at him.
Once Abba was in the apartment, Taliya, Yair, and Yaron descended upon him for kisses and hugs.
And sure enough, Abba came bearing gifts: three pieces of pink chewing gum, each of which was wrapped in a temporary tattoo.
“Were you good yeladim today?” Abba asked, holding the coveted chewing gum over his head.
“Yes! Yes!” cried the children.
“Did you study hard?”
“Yes! Yes!”
“Here, Abba, listen!” said Taliya. And she demonstrated what she had learned on television that afternoon while watching Gabby & Debby travel the world with their Magic Stick.
Pleased with their accomplishments, Abba relinquished the chewing gum to his children.
The children went quickly to the sherutim, where they wet the back of their hand or arm in the sink and applied the tattoo.
Taliya immediately popped the chewing gum into her mouth and began to enjoy it. Yaroni followed suit. Yair, however, said he was going to save his until after dinner, or perhaps until tomorrow.
The children then set about the task of completing the first school day’s homework. Yair accomplished his tasks quickly. Taliya of course only pretended to be accomplishing hers. Little Yaroni, who had no homework, set about the business of giving himself the task of drawing a picture of his family nestled together inside their apartment. In this he succeeded magnificently.
A short while later, it was time for dinner.
Everyone gathered in the kitchen, seated upon their small white stools, with Taliya in her place on the short side of the L.
Taliya immediately observed the meat on her plate, between the mashed potatoes and Brussels sprouts. She liked very much mashed potatoes, which always reminded her of Lag BaOmer, a special holiday on which everyone in the country built many, many campfires over which they roasted potatoes and marshmallows, and the air throughout the country smelled deliciously of baked potatoes.
Taliya liked Brussels sprouts very much as well.
But she did not care for meat.
“Taliya, eat,” said Ima. “It’s very delicious.” Ima demonstrated by putting a morsel of chicken in her mouth. She then waited for her daughter to do the same.
With Ima watching, Taliya realized she had no alternative. With her fork, she scraped some meat from the bone. She quickly put it in her mouth.
Satisfied, Ima returned to her dinner.
Taliya casually slid from her small white stool and went to the sherutim. She spat the chicken into the toilet and flushed it down. She washed her hands and returned to the table.
A few minutes later, Ima once again insisted that Taliya eat the chicken.
Taliya removed another morsel with her fork, horrified at the sight of the grey bones beneath. With great trepidation, she put the meat into her mouth and waited until Ima wasn’t looking. Taliya then slid from her stool once more.
“Where are you going?” Ima asked.
“To the bathroom.”
“You just went to the bathroom!”
“I have something in my eye.”
Taliya hurried to the bathroom before Ima could protest further. She could not flush the toilet a second time, for her mother would surely hear. She therefore spat the meat into the sink and pushed it down the drain, poking at it with her finger, trying to touch it as little as possible.
By the time Taliya had returned to the dinner table, everyone had finished. Ima was at her desk, grading papers and looking over tomorrow’s lesson plans. Yair and Yaroni were in their room, and Abba was washing the dinner plates.
Taliya finished eating her potatoes and Brussels sprouts. After that, she could only stare at the remains of the meat on her plate. It had once been a bird, a chicken, walking around, eating and sleeping. Which meant that it had once been a cute fuzzy little baby chick, with gentle eyes, and it had made the most adorable little peeping sounds. Surely she could not eat something so adorable.
“Are you finished, Taliya?” Abba asked.
“Ken, Abba.” Taliya grabbed the meat in a napkin and wadded it up. She took her now-empty plate and handed it to Abba. As he washed it, she tossed the secret napkin into the small plastic bag upon the counter beside the sink into which the trash was placed.
Taliya then fled the kitchen before she could be coerced any further into eating meat.
♦♦♦
Later that evening, once everyone was in bed and all the lights were turned out, Taliya lie awake. She wanted to tell everyone goodnight. She had already done so, of course, but she wanted to reaffirm the blessing.
“Lyla tov, Ima! Lyla tov, Abba!” she cried out.
“Lyla tov,” her mother and father called in turn.
“Lyla tov, Yairi! Lyla tov, Yaroni!” Taliya called.
“Lyla tov,” said Yair.
“Lyla tov,” said Yaron.
With everyone thus blessed, Taliya snuggled into her bed, ready to go to sleep.
There was but one small problem. Something which plagued her mind…
Was the front door locked?
For that matter, were the windows locked as well?
Taliya crept quietly from her bed and hurried on her tiptoes to the front door. She twisted the lock, making certain the door was secure. She tried the handle and pulled on the door. When neither moved, she checked the windows. Satisfied that all was well, Taliya returned to her bed, where she soon fell fast asleep.
Read next chapter:
I need to sign up for Taliya’s university. I wish I’d have rebelled more as a kid! I was very much a rules follower I will live vicariously through Taliya’s spirit