The House on Chelouche Street Page #5

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But after it...

after what happened,

I don't know.

OK, fine. Goodbye.

But I came here to...

- You came to return the book.

No, I...

I don't know why I came.

Look,

it was nice.

Past tense.

Now it's over.

Too bad.

That's how it goes.

Like an engine.

He had a store.

When?

- In 1925.

Where did they live?

On "Shaarei Shamaim" St.

In shelters,

in the Ashkenazi lot.

How much is that?

- Two pennies.

Hello.

How many are two plus two?

Four pennies.

- Good.

Where is it?

- Here. -Are you sure?

Yeah?

Count to three.

One, two, three.

Here. -No.

- Yes. -I'm telling you it's here.

See that?

- I saw you put it in your pocket.

He's a little devil.

What have you got there?

- Here? Nothing.

If you don't resemble your family,

you're a bastard.

Going out?

- yes.

The food is in the kitchen.

You just have to heat it up.

Like Abed-El-Wahab wrote

in his poem:

"What's written in the sky

the eye must see"

This dress looks good on you.

- Yeah?

It makes me look younger,

don't you think?

Yes. Younger.

Haim would like it.

Sami.

Excuse me.

- Of course.

Sami! Sami!

Come here, Sami.

Sami, why are you running away?

I'm trying to talk to you.

Are you mad at me?

No, I'm not mad.

You know, I look at you,

and it reminds me

of when I first arrived here.

I was about your age.

Those were different times.

It was during the Ottoman Empire.

I took every job

I could get my hands on.

But what's interesting is that

I always wanted to get married.

To have a family.

A wife, kids.

I almost got married once.

She was a nice girl...

good family.

But it didn't work out.

Never mind.

Sami,

your mom is a great lady.

I don't have to tell you that.

You know her better than I do.

Besides, she's giving me

a great gift.

My mother?

- Yes.

A gift?

She's giving me you.

You see, Sami, I don't know

if I'll ever have kids of my own.

And even if I do,

they'll never be like you.

My father gave me this watch.

That's the only thing

I have of his.

His father gave it to him.

I'd like you to have it.

- Haim!

Take it

and take good care of it,

like I did.

Hello.

- Yes, Hello.

May I have one, please?

- Yes.

Some pepper?

- Thank you. -You're welcome.

Sami!

- Thank you.

Sit down.

Would you like a drink?

That's right.

You don't drink or smoke.

You're an all around good kid.

Sit down.

Maybe I will have a drink.

- Macho man.

The first time always hurts.

How's life, Sami?

Life?

What do I know about life?

Are you still not speaking

to your mom?

I don't know

what's going on anymore.

Who's not talking to whom.

How's Haim?

That Ashkenazi screwed us over,

didn't he?

Screwed you over, maybe.

He gave me this.

On account of my mother

giving him a gift.

A gift?

Never mind.

He's not right for her.

Sami, right, not right,

let her live her own life.

And you start living yours.

It's about time, Sami.

...from nothing.

Look at me.

Why do I have a bike?

Because it's a big world,

Sami, and life is short.

What?

Baby, what's the matter with you?

Wait a minute.

I asked Haim

not to come here again.

Why?

- I don't know.

It didn't feel right.

He would open doors

and hold them for me.

He would take me to the cinema

and out to restaurants.

Once, while we were walking,

he even bought me a flower.

He wanted to kiss me,

but I couldn't.

Besides, Sami, you're not

that crazy about him either.

If you had loved him,

maybe I would have, too.

I know that, Sami.

Sami.

Sami.

Go see who it is.

Is Nissim Hadera home?

Nissim Hudara doesn't live here.

- What is it? Who's there?

Where's Nissim Hadera?

Nissom Hudara's not here.

He doesn't live here.

We won't bother you, lady.

We just want to look around.

Sorry, lady.

You can go back to sleep.

Sleep.

Nisso, run!

Sami, the bike.

Take care of the bike.

It's a shame about the workshop.

What are you going to do if they

burn it? -If they do, so be it.

This is just plywood, isn't it?

We'll finish this thing,

and lock up.

We need a few hours of sleep.

This shooting.

They're crapping all over us!

What do they want?

They got their state!

Man, Jabotinsky was right.

OK, Halfon, enough with the

speeches. They got, we got,

They shoot, we shoot...

you're leaving this neighborhood,

just like everyone else.

What do you want us to do?

Get killed? What do you want?

And you were teasing Nisso.

"People on death row keep

singing the national anthem".

You're flapping your gums here,

and he's on death row.

Halfon, you're a good carpenter,

but if you'd just shut up...

if you only knew

how to shut up.

Are you going to stay here, Sami?

- Where else can we go?

What about Haim?

- Hasn't been around for months.

Since before the UN proclamation.

Too bad.

So he didn't want Clara

after all?

Enough, Halfon. Enough.

Albert, watch your manners!

God, Albertico, get up!

What's wrong? -The Arabs are

taking over Tel Aviv. Get up!

I heard them on the street,

speaking Arabic. -What's wrong?

They will kill us all!

- Are you nuts? I can't hear a thing.

Alberto, get up.

- Go to bed.

Go to bed. I hear nothing.

- Oh God. I'm going to Clara's.

They were speaking Arabic.

Yelling:
"slaughter the Jews!"

They left us here to die.

- Mom, stop it. Go to sleep.

Go to bed.

I'll go check it out.

I don't like this silence.

- Stay here. I'll take a look.

No, I have to see for myself.

Who's there?

Why are you shouting,

Shimon Yosef?

Shitrit, I saw someone over there.

You must be delirious.

I see nothing.

I swear to you on my kids

I saw someone go through there.

If you don't trust me,

go. I'll cover you.

You're crazy.

What's the matter with you?

You saw it, you go.

I'll cover you.

We'll go together.

If we both go,

who's going to cover us?

Shimon Yosef?

- Who's there?

Sami.

Sami, what are you doing here

in the middle of the night?

What's with the entourage?

You scared the daylights out of me.

What's going on?

- What's that? God!

It's a quiet night, thank God.

There's nothing going on.

Look, this silence...

Clara, come on, don't worry.

Our boys are all over this place.

If, God forbid,

something happens, we're here.

Right, Shimon Yosef?

- Right, Shitrit. No fear.

The kids.

The kids!

Mom...

Are you all right?

Wait a minute.

we can't stay here, mom.

Where am I going to go?

Where?

Where everyone else goes.

They'll take care of us,

like with all the other refugees.

I don't want to be a refugee.

This is my home.

I want to stay here.

I'm... I've had enough

of strangers' homes.

So go get Haim.

Go get him.

- He doesn't want to see me.

He will.

He loves you.

He will.

I can't make a laughing stock

of him, Sami. Don't you see?

Yes, I do.

Go get him.

Clara.

Clara.

Don't tease me.

You will not throw me

out of here again?

Do you know what you want?

Are you sure?

A wedding?

Immediately.

"Enlist!"

Plaster stains

on the right ventricle.

Have you ever heard of such

a thing? That's what he told me.

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