Days Uncounted: A Historical Novel by Eli Hai

Author:Eli Hai [Hai, Eli]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-07-25T22:00:00+00:00

In May 1955, as the third Knesset parliament elections neared, Nissim Sasson got me a job, just like Arieh had promised.

“Mama, you won’t believe this, but the man acted on his promise. Tomorrow, Elias has a job interview,” Arieh excitedly announced to Mama.

“Where?” we all charged at him.

“I don’t know, but you have to go to a meeting tomorrow on King David Street.”

“Praise the Lord,” Grandpa blessed.

“Mama, I told you that man was good on his word,” Arieh boasted to Mama.

That night I could hardly sleep from the excitement.

I woke up early in the morning and got on the number 6 Hamekasher company bus and rode to a massive and old building. There were numerous government offices there, whose functions I wasn’t familiar with.

“Are you Elias?” a sixty-year-old man with a strict face asked me.

“Yes, that’s me,” I answered.

“Do you know what position you’re here for?” he asked.

“No.”

The man gave me a questionnaire to fill out. It was written in both Hebrew and Arabic, and so I had no difficulty in understanding it, and filled it out easily.

The man leafed through my answers and then asked me countless strange questions. When he finished, he smiled and said,

“From now on, you are a part of the State of Israel’s community of Intelligence.”

“Intelligence?” I asked with fright. “What precisely is my role?”

“Present yourself at this building on Sunday. On the second floor, in room 224, Mr. Zalikovich will await you, he’ll be your supervisor. He’ll then explain your role to you.”

When I got back home, Mama pounced on me with hugs and kisses and said, “Congratulations, my son! Now that you’ve found a livelihood for yourself, you can also get married.”

I looked at Mama with surprise.

“Yes, why are you surprised? You must know that Doris won’t wait around for you forever.”

“You’ve spoken with Uncle Moshe again?” I asked.

“No. But I spoke with Aunt Rochelle,” she said with a smile.

“And what did she say?”

“She said Doris has many suitors, but she loves you, and so she turns them all down.”

I remained silent.

“Isn’t it time you forgot about her?” Mama suddenly asked.

I lost my words. Did Mama know about Laila?

“Forget about whom?” I played innocent.

“Laila,” she answered briefly.

“Laila?” I acted surprised.

“Yes, Laila. From the day she came to us for dinner, and I witnessed how you looked at her, I knew you were in love. But now that she’s abandoned you, you should forget about her and start building your future with another woman.”

“I’m trying, Mama, I’m trying with all my might, but I can’t forget her. Wherever I go, her image accompanies me.” I understood that there was no point in denying it any longer.

“Yesterday,” I continued, “I went with Berta to watch the movie A Place in the Sun, at the Orient Smadar Cinema in the German Colony district. Elizabeth Taylor, the most beautiful actress in the world, played in the movie. Mama, can you believe me when I say that I didn’t manage to understand any of the movie’s content? Even the movie star’s beauty didn’t excite me.

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