Nuremberg Tour 14

The local Muslim paper one ups the Jewish one. The reporter asks to meet me in a coffee house. He's a friendly guy, lays it out, knows for a fact I'm not the fiancee. Would I care to confirm or deny?
"Not really."
"You must feel at least a little resentment over the Jewish paper story. Tell you what, no big scoop, no big statement, just a statement of fact that you are not."
I'm weakening.
"You're in a situation where you just can't win. What happens if he doesn't complete the book on time?"
It starts to dawn.
"Every Jew from Victoria to St Johns will blame you personally."
"Very well, you may quote me. At no time was I romantically involved. It was a coffee friendship, mostly discussing literature."
"I see, so then the distraction would not be you, but the other woman?"
I laugh, "no comment."
Wicked smile, "seeing her, a guy'd hafta be made of stone to resist."
"And as you can see, I'm not in that league."
"No offence was intended. It's just I couldn't imagine him writing so much as a paragraph with her around."
"It's ok, I didn't take offence, knew what you meant."
We both laugh.
"You know, you don't look Jewish."
"Makes us even, you don't look Muslim."
"Do you suppose I could get a photo?"
"No."
His eyes narrow, then I see the jolt, "I understand. Remarkable resemblance, stunning. I interviewed him when he was here in Canada. He's actually a decent guy, I mean if you consider his position."
I blush fiercely.
"It's ok, I understand, don't want to embarrass your parents."
"Thank you."
Gentle smile, "take my advice and stay here in Canada. If you ever went there, things could be hot." As he rises to leave, "totally off the record, is it true you aced the radar exam?"
"How would you hear that?"
"Don't stereotype me, I have a Jewish girlfriend, Jewish poker buddies."
My face registers shock.
"I'm a westerner, so is she, we're individuals, not members of a tribe."
"I like to think of myself as westernized, but obviously I'm a way behind you."
He grins, "and off the record, read any of Ariel's books?"
"Oh yes, one."
"And you intend to leave it at one?"
"Oh yes."
"He really does need to get a grip. Older Jews keep buying, but I wouldn't dare say what my poker buddies say of his books, not suitable language for mixed company."
"That bad huh?"
"A charitable way to put it, he's probably already collected about 9/10 of his lifetime royalties."
"I've often wondered about that. There are limits to how many times an author can go back to the same well."
"Totally off the record, do you feel the Solzenhitzen comparison was valid?"
I blush hotly, "sad to say, but yes."
He was as good as his word. Printed merely the statement I gave him.
For Ariel it just keeps on getting worse. He's arrested for drunk driving. The breath test law in Canada is .08, his reading is .19.
Same media reaction, Globe and Mail, National Post and Canadian Jewish News don't print.
Local Jewish rags do. Our local one has a strongly worded editorial. When is our hero author going to quit drinking, fighting and carousing? When will he return to literature? When on earth will we the fans ever see that long overdue book?
Once again I'm at the uni library. I run into Tasma, this time it's a remarkably relaxed conversation. I discuss my writing project; her, the thesis. The world may view us as romantic rivals, but we're heading towards friendship.
The court judgment is unusual. Ariel gets twenty hours community service at the Muslim Community Center; Tasma's bro, the same at JCC.
As the three months grinds ever closer, I wait with anxiety, like many Jews. No, I don't plan on reading it, but it would be nice to see him get back on track. It's not like he needs the money; but his self-esteem is on the line here.