This morning on the primitive Isle of Snow Sieged Jerusalem started like any other: I woke up freezing and with a stiff neck, I made my bed to maintain some sense of normalcy and then tested the faucets, no water again. I called up the water company with my home made coconut phone and this conversation ensued:
Mommy: For the second day we don't have water, our pipes froze.
Service Representative: Yeah (sounding quite resigned and bored by the conversation)
Mommy: I said, we don't have water.
SR: Yeah.
Mommy: What?!
SR: It's happening all over Jerusalem...yeah.
Then I recharged my home made coconut phone and called the HOT cable company, to find out why I am unable to download movies to entertain my daughter on this, the fifth day of the Snow Siege.
(Waited on hold for 30 minutes)
Mommy: Our television works, but the service for downloading free videos and movies for children does not.
SR: What is wrong with you parents these days?
Mommy: What?!
SR: Here you are, you have this golden opportunity to spend quality time with your offspring, and you are complaining that you can't rent movies. Enjoy the time with your children while you are home with them!
Mommy: But that's exactly the point, my daughter has been home since last Thursday, she does not have Gan today and I have promised her that we could watch a movie. And I can't watch that movie if your service -for which I pay each month including December - does not work.
SR: You should count your blessings, there are some people in your area whose cable is not working at all, they get no picture on their screen. At least you can watch some lousy television programming that we offer.
Mommy: But...
SR: I suggest you call us back when all the snow melts and life in Jerusalem returns to normal, maybe we will take care of it then.
Then disaster struck: Crazy Neighbor Lady, an elderly woman with severe dementia and living alone, got trapped in the building's elevator. Panic, crying, screaming and pressing the emergency button over-and-over, the rest of the neighbors stood by and tried to talk her down. After several hours, after her release, her dementia made her forget the trauma. I would laugh at the irony if it weren't so sad.
Frustrated from being house-bound, I called a friend of ours who lives relatively down the street, and asked if we could hang out with them today, assuming I could convince my snow hating sabra Raphaela to bundle up and leave the house. The promise of friends, a warm house and actual cooked food, did the trick.
Black ice covered our entire street, and it took us 15 minutes to mountain climb the set of stairs near our house, the area had become one giant steep and menacing sheet of ice. I give Raphaela credit, she got on all fours and crawled her way up. Then we walked carefully for another 15 minutes and arrived at Eden. Warm house, friends from Gan, fresh pancakes with chocolate chips, a blanket tent built in the living room and a large screen television running children's movies. Adult company for me, and the feeling of not suffering for five hours or so.
Until Raphaela, tired from the lack of routine and the lack of decent sleep, asked to go home. I practically cried as we left that haven of support and returned to the ice box that is our home.
It's alright, Mr. and Mrs. Howell have planned a talent show, and Ginger will loan me a dress for the occasion.
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