That's- ל ראוד חולשמ
 |
T h a t ' s A l l F o l k s 2010 - Chapter no. 44 |
cleaning and maintaining the hotel rooms. After his sudden and dishonorable discharge from the United States Army, he returned to his birthplace, where he found simple work, and lived with his mother in their small home in the Nashville suburbs. His contact with Nili had already been severed in Israel, and all of Richard's efforts to reap information on her, even through his former friends who remained in Palestine, were unsuccessful. It seemed that he was trapped in a pit, with a blocked entrance. Richard knew that the United States authorities know how to keep promises and that their promise to prevent from maintaining any contact with Nili "from now to eternity", in their words, would be fully kept. The United States of America knows how to be vengeful and petty when necessary. Richard lived a quiet and sad life and at this stage, felt no need to look for company. He preferred the loneliness of the long evenings and their memories. At 11 o'clock he was called to the manager's office, where he discovered that there was someone waiting for him. "Hello, Richard," the man said. They retired to a quiet corner in the small hotel lobby, where the man continued: "Richard, nobody is ever to know that I visited you. I was part of the team which interrogated your girlfriend, Nili. I have not seen her since, and I believe that she has gone underground, along with many of her friends. She wrote you a letter. It was clear to her that we, the interrogators, would read it, however she made me swear on my honor as a soldier, an American and a person, to deliver the letter to you, and not to destroy it. The letter was indeed destroyed but I had a photocopy made beforehand. I am on my first furlough home in a long time, and I felt the need to keep the promise that I gave her. I know how much she loved you and how the American authorities were cruel to both of you. Here is the letter. I will now leave you alone, but remember: you can never speak of this with anyone." He shook Richard's hand and left. Richard sat there for several long moments, turning the stained old envelope over and over in his long fingers, flooded with his feelings. Dear Richard, I do not know if this letter will reach you or not. They told me here in the interrogation that you would go through hell and almost certainly be dishonorably discharged from the United States Army, the very same army that was a beacon to you and which you wanted to serve until your dying day. I am very sorry that things ended up this way, out of control. I am sorry that I got you into trouble and that I almost certainly cut short the career that was always your aspiration and great pride. I shall stay here, in this country, with my friends. Like the rest of the loyal Israelis, I will almost certainly find my way to one of the undergrounds. You will no longer be able to hear my voice sing, you will no longer be able to feel my hand caressing your cheek. But know that your memory, your love, your friendship will be a glow to shine on me in the dark nights. I will always remember your wonderful friendship, pure of any ulterior motive, your love for me with a completeness that is impossible between two regular people. Richard, they have promised me that I will never be able to see you again, that I will not be allowed to contact you or come to the United States, and that you will also not be allowed to return to the Middle East. We live in mad times in which the little citizens of the world are being played by the fate which was determined by countries and politicians. Richard, I beg of you. My love, find yourself a nice girl who will bear your children. Live with her in happiness and forget me. I will stay here and bear whatever the future holds. Of one thing you can be sure, I will always cherish you in my heart, as a lover and a friend. Yours, Nili That's all folks |
Back to Main Menu | Your Response | Previous Chapter רגאמב ןסחאל ,םגרתל ,טילקהל ,םלצל, קיתעהל ,לפכשל ןיא תורומש תויוכזה לכ © לכ רחא וא ינכמ ,יטפוא ,ינורטקלא יעצמא לכב וא ךרד לכב טולקל וא רדשל ,עדימ רוסא הז רופיסב לולכה רמוחב גוס לכמ ירחסמ שומיש .הז רופיסמ אוהש רמוח .That's All Folks ,ינממ בתכב תשרופמ תושרב אלא טלחהב 
 
|