Escaping the Whale: The Holocaust is over. But is it ever over for the next generation? by Ruth Rotkowitz

Author:Ruth Rotkowitz
Language: eng
Format: azw3, mobi, epub
ISBN: 9789493056428
Publisher: Amsterdam Publishers
Published: 2020-04-10T22:00:00+00:00

25

The Iranian men standing around yelling “Death to America!” outside the American Embassy looked like actors getting bored with their script. Marcia clicked off the TV. When had she begun putting on the news before leaving for work? Bad habit. She hurried into the kitchen and rummaged in the fridge, pulling out an orange to throw into her briefcase. There hadn’t even been time to go for lunch the last few days. She looked down at what she was wearing and then picked her beige blazer off the back of a chair, but immediately threw it back. She’d been so warm lately; with no ventilation in the office, she could scarcely breathe sometimes.

Abby was waiting at the guidance door. She held out a box of chocolate truffles. “Peace offering? I’m so sorry for flying off the handle.” She looked up at Marcia with a contrite blinking of dark lashes. In a plain brown dress and brown flats, she looked like she was in mourning.

Marcia unlocked the door. “Come on in,” she said. Her back to Abby, she walked around flicking on the lights, which did nothing for the dinginess of the place. She nodded a perfunctory greeting to the dying plant in the corner, noting the increase in the slope of its hunching. When she turned around, she saw that Abby had placed the box of chocolates in the center of her desk, adjusting it so that nothing else on the desk obscured anyone’s view of the gift, from any angle.

“You’re too much, I swear,” Marcia declared gruffly. Looking at Abby in the dim, empty office, Marcia felt a surge of satisfying power. She just knew this petite woman standing before her had agonized over what to wear and what to bring, had possibly discussed it with her annoying Carl. Carl this, Carl that – Marcia was sick of it. She, Marcia, hadn’t signed on for Carl’s opinions and decrees, and Abby was yet to realize that. Marcia could feel how out of place and ineffective Carl would be right here, in her office, facing her students. She stood up straighter.

“But do you forgive me?” Abby pleaded. “We’ve known each other for so many years. I’ve been a nervous wreck lately, and Carl has been…”

Marcia held up her hand, and Abby stopped, looking frightened. “Here’s the deal, Abby. I’ll forget about our unfortunate conversation last night. But I’m swamped here, it’s been a total zoo, and I don’t want to hear about Carl, and I won’t serve as your punching bag when you’re pissed at him or upset about other things. Otherwise, don’t call me or talk to me anymore. I just can’t deal with anyone else’s shit right now.”

Abby was visibly taken aback. “I just thought, as friends…”

“Understood or not?” Marcia said, her voice rising.

“I think you’ve changed.”

“Then maybe you don’t want to talk to me again, so you don’t have to apologize. Think about it.” Shrugging, Marcia took her seat at the desk and opened her appointment book. She looked up.

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