Assisted Living
Published in Issue #9 Translated from Hebrew by the Author subscribe to unlock the full story“What a pleasant surprise!” Ditsa and Yoss exclaim when they open the door and engulf Yona with hugs and kisses before she has time to decide whether this is just a routine welcome or they forgot that Ditsa had phoned the day before to ask her to come over because Yoss has something special to show her, and between the two of them they decided upon the day and hour. The embrace with Ditsa is naturally warm. With Yoss it’s naturally restrained, but, still, it enables her to feel the new — for her! — involuntary tremor in his hand. And then, already on the threshold, her heart sinks. She assumed, of course, that the new place they moved into in the assisted living residence would not be large enough to accommodate the grand piano, but not even a standing one? Not even one of those shortened-keyboard pianos rented for beginners before they prove their talent?
“Now you’ll tell me that I shouldn’t have,” she anticipates Ditsa who frees her hand from the bouquet of flowers with her enchanting smile that smoothes her wrinkles.
“It wouldn’t occur to me to say such a silly thing,” Ditsa retorts, truly happy with what is revealed when she removes the cellophane wrapping. “Look,” she turns to Yoss, “did you know that they succeeded in cultivating red chrysanthemums?”
“Trust those engineers of the soul of flora,” Yoss responds. It seems to Yona that the look he directs at the flowers is not altogether focused. This reminds her...
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