So I have reached the point during finals where my brain is mush, I am craving time in the outdoors, a time when I can read a book that I want to read, because I can and not have to only busy my eyes with academic texts, and to when I can get glossy eyed in front of my computer getting caught up on TV shows and videos that I have neglected for the last month.
I have submitted 2 papers (hope to finish the third today) and have taken all three of my exams. I still have 3 papers left to complete and want to be totally done by Friday morning so that I can pack for Thailand and have a relaxing shabbat with Ari and his family (and Devora) before leaving on a jet plane Saturday night.
So about the being Israeli....a little background: This morning, I decided to take a cab to school. This was only the third time that I paid to get there all semester (first time was running late after a relaxed morning with the dude drinking coffee and had 2 bags as I was heading to Hannah's kibbutz straight from school and the second was because it was pouring and I was reading Torah at minyan).
Today I decided that I would bring my computer with me and all of my library books so that I could use them, work on my papers and then return the books so that I would not have to worry about returning to Schechter later this week or deal with late fines.
This ment that I had my computer, a packed lunch, and 5 huge books. I walked to Emek Refaim and took a cab. Usually (meaning the 2 times that I have taken a cab to school the price was between 25-30 shekels depending on traffic). This morning, we get stuck for 2 blocks behind a trash truck. The driver in his peeved nature at not being able to avoid the break pedal, turns off the ignition for 10 seconds. This resets the meter in the cab. When I point this out and tell him the average prices, he responds that give or take 5 shekel we'll figure it out. Then there is more traffic. Not the traffic that stops you but the traffic that makes you think that you are going to be late even if you catch the first light. When we get to the top of the hill, he looks at me and says a ride with this traffic is no less than 40 shekels. Not wanting to argue and being brain-fried, I hand him two 20 shekel bills, tell him to have a good day and get ready to exit the cab. He yells as I am 1/2 way out that he can't accept one of the bills because it is one of the new plastic bills (supposed to be unrippable) and it is ripped. (Mind you the piece is sort of like my earlobe- attached but definitely separated.) I had not even noticed. He told me that I have to give him a different one. I tell him no. He says he can't accept it. I tell him fine, I will take it back but will not give him a different one. He threatens to call the cops. I tell him to go ahead. He yells at me about how I should be ashamed. I tell him that I hope that he has a good day.
Maybe if I was more Israeli, I might have kicked the door of the cab, punched the driver, yelled at him with the door open, spit on him or the passenger seat, or just flipped him off.
Maybe I'm not so Israeli yet. Or I am just a rare mild-tempered Israeli.
The end.
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