A Date With Tamar Ch. 4

"To me, that was as good as accepting my proposal. 'OK, if you don't like to make plans for the long term, can we do something in the short term. Check-out time is 11:00 am. That would leave us enough time to make love at least twice. What do you think?'"

"'Oh Chris, I don't want to be completely difficult but I have some more bad news for you. I began menstruating this morning.'"

"'That's good news to me. It means that you're not pregnant. If you're family's so religious, how would you enjoy telling them that you're having a baby with a goy?'"

"'Chris, you never understand what I'm trying to tell you. An orthodox woman is taught that she is unclean when menstruating. She must not touch any man, not even her husband when she's menstruating. Do you think that I can leave my upbringing and my religion behind just because I'm in love with you? I really have sacrificed a lot of my Jewishness from the moment I met you. Look at me! I'm handing you food and I'm not even supposed to be doing that. You must understand that sex while menstruating is one taboo that I can't overcome just now, if ever. I want that big zain stirring up my insides right now more than anything else. But there is something else inside me that prevents me from having sex during my period. Can you understand me now?'"

"I learned to never push a point with Tamar. We talked aimlessly about how Israeli politics and how the religious parties would make political grounds because the government had allowed the revived Biblical shekel to devalue into nothing. Tamar told me the position of every party in the Knesset but there are so many of them that I just couldn't keep track of all their platforms. If I only knew then that she was from a political family, I would have paid more attention so I could understand this complex woman. Finally, Tamar got up and said:"

"'Let's hit the road. Now we'll head south and see what the people in the Negev think about the new shekel.'"

"On the way, we stopped in Kiryat Sh'moneh for gas. Tamar wanted to go into the mall across the street and get some of her favourite Elit chocolate bars. I've always wondered why you Israelis call malls "kanions." Your concept of a mall seems to be about 10-20 shops that happen to be under the same roof. Now, in Canada, a mall isn't a mall unless there are at least 100 stores along two or three floors. Now, that's what I call a real 'canyon'."

At this, Daniellah lost patience. "Could you just continue with your story and stop criticizing our country." I noticed Livshitz finger his Uzi again. Better continue, just as the lady instructed.

"We were just leaving to go back to the car when an ultra-orthodox woman in a long dress, hairnet and long sleeves called out: 'Mah shlomech, Tamar?'"

"It took me two weeks in Israel to figure out that 'Mah shlomech' was 'How are you?" in Hebrew. Tamar's face drained of colour and she began a Hebrew conversation with the woman, nervously pointing at me and the camera I was carrying. As I said, I hadn't learned much Hebrew but I could tell nervous Hebrew when I heard it. Finally, the ultra-orthodox woman gave me a warm shalom but declined my handshake. On the way back to the car, I asked:"

"'Tamar, who was that and what was that all about?'"

"That was Mossi's cousin, D'vorah. I forgot that this is really a small country and Mossi has some family here. She wanted to know who you were and what I was doing in Kiryat Sh'moneh.'"

"'So, what did you tell her?'"

"'I said the truth. You're a journalist from Canada, you don't know any Hebrew and I'm translating for you. Chris, do you think that she noticed that I was upset? Do you think she suspects anything about us?'"

"'If I noticed that you were nervous and I don't speak Hebrew, then D'vorah really suspects something. In fact, I suspect she's on the telephone to cousin Mossi or his family right now.'"

"'You're right, Chris. Run to the car. I have to get you out of the country immediately. Let me handle this mess.'"

"We started running and I asked, 'What mess? We just tell Mossi that it's over between you two. You love me and we're getting married as soon as you're out of the army.'"

"'You still don't know anything about Israelis, do you Chris? Mossi's family is from Morocco and they're partial to instant justice. As soon as they hear that I've been screwing a foreigner, they'll go meshuggah. Either Mossi or one of his brothers is sharpening up a knife and he's going to carve up whoever's been fooling around with his girlfriend. Now do you get it? If you don't take the next plane out of Israel, you're dead meat.'"

"Dead meat. That I understood. We ran to the car and I started to drive to the airport. Tamar made me stop and said that I hadn't learned how to drive in Israel either. Tamar climbed behind the wheel and smoked the tires. Tamar was no longer the careful high school driving course graduate. Tamar went full Israeli behind the wheel, 20 km/hr over the speed limit and weaving in and out of traffic, just like any other normal, healthy Israeli maniac on the road. We arrived at Lod in half the time it took me to drive north from Jerusalem."

"I checked out the car with the rental agency and rushed to the El Al desk. There was a place on the next flight to Toronto and I had enough time to get through security and change my money before boarding. I kissed Tamar goodbye and was just minding my own business in security when I was so rudely interrupted by Mossi and his knife. That's when we found ourselves together in this room and became such good friends."

Daniellah removed her foot from my crotch. She had worked my dick into a nice stiff woody again. Daniellah fumbled for her shoe under the table up and announced: "Let's go and check out this story with the other interrogators. Livshitz, keep an eye on the suspect until we get back." Kinnor and Galil left with Daniellah and I was left with a sullen Israeli soldier with a loaded Uzi. Livshitz still hadn't warmed up to me and sat there fingering his Uzi in the hope that I would try and make a run for freedom. Finally, Daniellah returned alone:

"El Al apologizes to you for any inconvenience. You are free to go anytime. Livshitz, I won't need you anymore."

Livshitz grunted, slung his Uzi over his shoulder and left Daniellah and me alone. Daniellah moved around to my side of the table and sat on the edge with her skirt riding slightly above her knee. She crossed her bare legs, flashing her white panties at me. She sat so that one leg was pointing towards me. I couldn't help but notice that Daniellah wore a heavy gold ankle chain, consisting of a series of linked hearts.

"Your story checks out completely. We called your office in Toronto and they confirm your assignment and the dispatches on the days you say they were sent. Under interrogation, Tamar Ya'akov confirms all the times and dates of places you visited together. She also confirms the, ummh, other 'details' of your relationship. Tamar seems to consider you quite the stud, although I might question that as she appears to be relatively inexperienced."

"Can I see Tamar now, Ms. Argov. I must tell her how sorry I am that I got her in trouble."

"Please call me Daniellah now, not Ms. Argov. I am afraid that it's impossible for you to see Tamar at the moment. Some of Yishai Ya'akov's flunkies came to the airport accompanied by a Hasid in a black hat. When they Tamar away, the wouldn't tell us anything except that she had a lot of explaining to do to her father. I think it's best for both you and Tamar to forget about each other."

"But, why?"

"Your assailant and vengeful boyfriend is Moshe Bar-Lévi, nickname Mossi, formerly a low-level clerk in the Finance Ministry but now a resident of Lieutenant Kinnor's jail. Mossi was born in Morocco and his family made aliyah to Israel when he was a child. Although we Israelis tend to like all kinds of revenge, Moroccan Jews make it into an art form. Mossi will be spending time in prison for attempted assault but he will never forget the humiliation your zain caused his ego. If he ever finds out you're in Israel, he'll carve you up."

"Now what do I do? My flight has long gone. I have no friends here in Israel and El Al has my passport, my ticket and my money."

"Don't worry, we will return everything to you tomorrow and we will book you first class to Toronto on the next available flight. In the meantime, El Al will put you up at a hotel. I've made all the arrangements and will personally take you there. Let's go."

Actually Dainellah could be quite charming when she wasn't in interrogation mode. At some other time, I might have planned on asking a woman like Daniellah up to my hotel room to "see my etchings." That night, I was tired and I was emotionally devastated that I might never see Tamar again.

To Be Continued...