He looked around him, not understanding. He was awake, wide awake, no question about it, the dream was over; yet he was still in a prison cell. It was six feet long by four feet wide, and half of it was taken up by a bed. He raised himself from the bed and looked underneath it. There was a chamber pot.
He stood upright. Then, quietly and calmly, he began to bang his head against the wall.
Jerusalem, 24 September 42
My dear Elene,
Today I went to the Western Wall, which is also called the Wailing Wall. I stood before it with many other Jews, and I prayed. I wrote a kvitlach and put it into a crack in the wall. May God grant my petition.
This is the most beautiful place in the world, Jerusalem. Of course I do not live well. I sleep on a mattress on the floor in a little room with five other men. Sometimes I get a little work, sweeping up in a workshop where one of my roommates, a young man, carries wood for the carpenters. I am very poor, like always, but now I am poor in Jerusalem, which is better than rich in Egypt.
I crossed the desert in a British Army truck. They asked me what I would have done if they had not picked me up, and when I said I would have walked, I believe they thought me mad. But this is the sanest thing I ever did.
I must tell you that I am dying. My illness is quite incurable, even if I could afford doctors, and I have only weeks left, perhaps a couple of months. Don’t be sad. I have never been happier in my life.
I should tell you what I wrote in my kvitlach. I asked God to grant happiness to my daughter Elene. I believe he will.
Farewell,
Your Father
The smoked ham was sliced as thin as paper and rolled into dainty cylinders. The bread rolls were home-baked, fresh that morning. There was a glass jar of potato salad made with real mayonnaise and crisp chopped onion. There were a bottle of wine, another bottle of soda and a bag of oranges. And a packet of cigarettes, his brand.
Elene began to pack the food into the picnic basket.
She had just closed the lid when she heard the knock at the door. She took off her apron before going to open it.
Vandam stepped inside, closed the door behind him and kissed her. He put his arms around her and held her painfully tightly. He always did this, and it always hurt, but she never complained, for they had almost lost each other, and now when they were together they were just so grateful.
They went into the kitchen. Vandam hefted the picnic basket and said: “Lord, what have you got in here, the Crown Jewels?”
“What’s the news?” Elene asked.
He knew she meant news of the war in the desert. He said: “Axis forces in full retreat, and I quote.” She thought how relaxed he was these days. He even talked differently. A little gray was appearing in his hair, and he laughed a lot.
“I think you’re one of those men who gets more good-looking as he gets older,” she said.
“Wait till my teeth drop out.”
They went out. The sky was curiously black, and Elene said “Oh!” in surprise as she stepped into the street.
“End of the world today,” Vandam said.
“I’ve never seen it like this before,” Elene said.
They got on the motorcycle and headed for Billy’s school. The sky became even darker. The first rain fell as they were passing Shep heard’s Hotel. Elene saw an Egyptian drape a handkerchief over his fez. The raindrops were enormous; each one soaked right through her dress to the skin. Vandam turned the bike around and parked in front of the hotel. As they dismounted the clouds burst.
, They stood under the hotel canopy and watched the storm. The sheer quantity of water was incredible. Within minutes the gutters overflowed and the pavements were awash. Opposite the hotel the shopkeepers waded through the flood to put up shutters. The cars simply had to stop where they were.
“There’s no main drainage in this town,” Vandam remarked. “The water has nowhere to go but the Nile. Look at it.” The street had turned into a river.
“What about the bike?” Elene said.
“Damn thing will float away,” said Vandam. “I’ll have to bring it under here.” He hesitated, then dashed out onto the pavement, seized the bike by its handlebars and pushed it through the water to the steps of the hotel. When he regained the shelter of the canopy his clothes were thoroughly soaked and his hair was plastered around his head like a mop coming out of a bucket. Elene laughed at him.
The rain went on a long time. Elene said: “What about Billy?”
“They’ll have to keep the kids at school until the rain stops.”
Eventually they went into the hotel for a drink. Vandam ordered sherry: he had sworn off gin, and claimed he did not miss it.
At last the storm ended, and they went out again; but they had to wait a little longer for the flood to recede. Finally there was only an inch or so of water, and the sun came out. The motorists began to try to start their cars. The bike was not too wet, and it fired first time.
The sun came out and the roads began to steam as they drove to the school. Billy was waiting outside. “What a storm!” he said excitedly. He climbed onto the bike, sitting between Elene and Vandam.
They drove out into the desert. Holding on tightly, her eyes half closed, Elene did not see the miracle until Vandam stopped the bike. The three of them got off and looked around, speechless.
The desert was carpeted with flowers.
“It’s the rain, obviously,” said Vandam. “But ...”
Millions of flying insects had also appeared from nowhere, and now butterflies and bees dashed frantically from bloom to bloom, reaping the sudden harvest.
Billy said: “The seeds must have been in the sand, waiting.”
“That’s it,” Vandam said. “The seeds have been there for years, just waiting for this.”
The flowers were all tiny, like miniatures, but very brightly colored. Billy walked a few paces from the road and bent down to examine one. Vandam put his arms around Elene and kissed her. It started as a peck on the cheek, but turned into a long, loving embrace.
Eventually she broke away from him, laughing. “You’ll embarrass Billy,” she said.
“He’s going to have to get used to it,” Vandam said.
Elene stopped laughing. “Is he?” she said. “Is he, really?”
Vandam smiled, and kissed her again.