Naomi 3

I've barely arrived at the office when Sgt Meyer is impatient to sign out the one and only jeep for the company. He'll take correspondence to HQ and back. I attribute his impatience to
a) fact he's always that way
b) a desire to get back before it is too hot.
When I don't see him by ten, I suspect he's playing hooky. But who cares? He is an eminence grise, the unit functions better without him.
By lunchtime, the Captain is starting to get suspicious.
Mid-afternoon the police bring back our jeep, inform us they will keep the Sgt awhile, charges unspecified.
Lt Nachman hears in a hurry, regales us with it over supper.
Hookers charge half price til noon, which is why boyo was in such a hurry. He was picked up in the big John sweep. He's in good company, they nabbed two Members of the Knesset.
Given that in real life he is a yeshiva ( religious school) teacher, he's headed for problems. Also his wife will be less than thrilled.
Pleasant a thought all this is, it doesn't solve my problem. It won't get him thrown out of the Reserves. He'll still be around for years, being a right royal pain in the you know where.
Next morning, cops haul away our medic, charge him with the break-in at the food bank. So here's hoping everyone stays healthy.
Afternoon, it gets worse. They haul away three, in the big welfare fraud sweep.
Capt Herzog stands over my shoulder, looking at the spreadsheet.
Worried tone, "numbers lower than ever. Here's hoping IJ is away on holiday."
Next mor
ning a message is found by the front gate, "We're watching you clowns. When strength goes down to 20, we come for real. Signed, Al Aqsa."
Probably a hoax, but you never know.
For once, Lt Nachman proves useful. She examines word choice, syntax, decides it's a 99% probability that the note was written by someone with Hebrew as first language.
Arabs would probably have made reference to having fleas of 10,000 camels infest us for awhile and would have called us infidel dogs and lackeys of the Great Satan.
She's probably right. Hebrew is clipped, more a functional language. Arabic, with centuries of poetry tradition, is into flowery expression.
Other clue, Hebrew hand printing is more geometric; Arabic, flowing. Those habits stay with you.
That day, all our malefactors return.
Sgt Meyer gets a fine, his photo to be published in Name and Shame.
The medic pleads guilty to a reduced charge, gets 120 hours of community service; after his Reserve hitch is up.
The welfare frauders get a court date in the future.
Capt Herzog heaves a sigh of relief as manpower chart goes from crappier to merely crappy, where it started.