All Backs Were Turned by Marek Hlasko

Author:Marek Hlasko
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781939931122
Publisher: New Vessel Press
Published: 2014-01-28T16:00:00+00:00

LITTLE DOV WAS WALKING ALONG THE BEACH, HIS RIGHT arm around Esther. In his left hand he was carrying his shirt and shoes; it was so dark he could barely see the waves lapping at his feet. The sky over the bay was invisible and a distant hum was coming from the water.

“Hey,” Esther suddenly said, “isn’t that your brother’s jeep?”

“That’s impossible.” Little Dov said. “Dov’s been looking for Israel all over town. He visited all the bars, asking if anybody’s seen him, and now he’s ringing up all the hotels. Why should Israel be sitting here on the beach when Dov is going out of his mind with worry?”

They walked up to the jeep; it stood with its lights off at the end of the beach, almost at the Jordanian border. Israel was dozing in the driver’s seat, slumped over the steering wheel.

“Hey, wake up,” Little Dov said. He had to shake Israel’s arm several times before the sleeping man raised his head. “My brother is going out of his mind with worry. He was sure something had happened to you. Go sleep at home.”

“Give me a cigarette,” Israel said. “I think I’ve smoked all the ones I had.”

Little Dov gave him a cigarette and his lighter. When Israel lit it, they saw in its light that his face was swollen and bruised.

“What happened to your face, Israel?” Little Dov asked. “Did you have an accident?”

“Yes,” he said.

“Did you damage the jeep?” Esther asked. When he didn’t answer, she walked around the jeep, inspecting it carefully. “Everything looks fine,” she said.

“I was driving too fast when I suddenly saw this child,” Israel said. “I braked hard and hit my head against the— the—” He fell silent.

“Against what?” Esther asked. She took her husband’s lighter and flicked it on Israel’s face. He lifted his hand against the light. “What did you hit it against?”

“I hit it, Esther, that’s all,” he said softly. “Take that goddamn light away. My head hurts.”

Little Dov took the lighter from her hand.

“I’m thirsty,” Israel said.

“Buy yourself something to drink,” Little Dov said. “There’s a stand by the hotel where they sell cold beer.”

“I haven’t got any money,” Israel said.

“You spent the whole day driving that woman around,” Esther said. “Didn’t she pay you?”

Israel didn’t reply. They watched the red end of the cigarette glow over his bruised and tired face.

“Has Dov gone to sleep?” he asked after a pause.

“No,” Esther said. “He’s been looking for you in every bar in town and he’s really upset. He didn’t even eat his supper. Has that woman paid you?”

“Of course she has,” Israel said. “Women always pay what they owe.”

“You said you didn’t have any money.”

“I don’t have any change,” he said. “You misunderstood me. I haven’t learned Hebrew all that well yet, and I don’t know if I ever will. I wasn’t born here like you two. I can’t fight or sing. So I have to settle for what they pay me.” He removed Esther’s hand gently from the steering wheel.

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