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Athens... Landing in Athens... I heard nothing else after those last three words.<br />
"Noooo, noooo". Satan: five, the Jewish kid: zero. The absurdity forced a<br />
laugh from me.<br />
Israel was just minutes away and the Israeli kids were singing during the<br />
approach. Home at last, after wandering helplessly from country to country. I was<br />
my own martyr making a symbolic return to my ancestral roots. I pulled out my passport<br />
and proudly greeted the customs officer in Bibrew. As she deftly inspected<br />
my visa, she returned my greeting with, "I 'm sorry but you can 't enter the<br />
country. Your visa is expired. " I argued back and wondered why everyone in this<br />
world must act the part of a clown.<br />
October 13, <strong>1977</strong> is the deadline to en*ter the country. I entered in July,<strong>1977</strong>."<br />
"Yes, but you are entering now and it's April, <strong>1978</strong>", she answered. I stopped<br />
for a moment, thinking about that. This clown had a point there and it was serious.<br />
Were they going to send me back to starve in Spain, trampled by charging bulls<br />
and raped by high-heeled flamenco dancers? No, never! I shalt make my last stand<br />
here for my honor and dignity against the aggressive hoards of injustice. Oh send<br />
forth your Uzis and 1-15's and 4 rl6's, for I shall die as a saint and a symbol.<br />
"Excuse me, here's‘your visa, it's O.K%.%now...nuuu? Kadimah! Ain z'man".<br />
Well maybe next time I'll get my chance to be a hero.<br />
It's noon and you've finally decided to do your laundry. (It only took three and a half weeks!)<br />
You pile all your clothing into all the pillow cases and plastic bags you can find and walk<br />
to Building 6. When you arrive, tired from lugging all your clothing around, you discover to<br />
your great joy and amazement that there is no line.<br />
"Ah!" you think, "no line, what luck!" So you stuff all your clothing in the<br />
puor in some TIP (or for a change, BIONESS), close the lid, and start shoving<br />
lj 2, 3, 4 •••f ... , 5.. ., 6...<br />
machine, and then<br />
in the lirot . .<br />
"Hey! Isn't it supposed to start?!" One punch. Another. Then again. Still won't start!<br />
Fed up, you kick the machine. Still no luck.<br />
So you pile all your dirty , soap-fAlled clothes back into the pillow cases and plastic bags,<br />
and get on your way to Idelson.<br />
After waiting two hours for a machine and another three for a dryer, you finally finish.<br />
FINALLY<br />
So carrying your warm, dry, sweet-smelling clothes, you head for home.<br />
it's pouring down rain outside.<br />
Only to discover that<br />
FREDA ROSENFELD<br />
45
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