Anita 7

Recess time, Lily's a bit uneasy, "ah Anita, ask you something?"
Breezily, "come on, we're friends. Since when do you need permission to ask?"
"Well see, as I was up at the board, I realized I could be headed for trouble. Junior High is bigger, no guarantee we'd end up in the same class. See ah, well I really do need help in math, please."
I grin, "and that is to say nothing of growing up, having to balance your chequing account. We could end up half a continent apart, you know."
We both laugh.
"Sure," I say, "no problem at all. After all, you help me out too, so it's not like I'm giving you charity or anything."
I see her look of relief, "start at lunchtime?"
"Sure."
As the rotation works, it's our teacher supervising lunch room today. While pretending not to, she's observing Lily and me. I see her relief, I'm explaining stuff, as opposed to Lily copying.
It's remarkably easy. Boils down to self confidence, one's level of ease in different situations. I show her various tricks from back home, but don't say where I got them.
Within days, Lily is removed from intensive care, put into regular.
Saturday lunch at Lily's brings another learning experience. The guests include myself and one of her Dad's colleagues and his wife. Though both are Jewish, he reacts totally differently than when I was the only guest. He underplays, pooh poohs it.
Interesting, so it's like playing to an audience.
At a lull in the conversation, the colleague's wife asks me, in a tone of feigned interest, "so Anita, what do you plan when you grown up?"
Keeping a straight face, "settler in a West Bank colony. I have a desire to pick up an Uzi, not stop til the job is done."
Surprised looks. Quietly Lily's Mum says, "actually a lot of people feel that way. Still, be careful who you say that in front of."
Lily's wink lets me know she wasn't taken in.
In case the gentle reader is wondering, I have no plans of moving anywhere, least of all to Israel. Victoria connects with me bigtime, with its trees, parks, architecture, ocean, laid back pace. I love the place, and given that so many from elsewhere retire here, I'm not alone in that opinion.
Now all this time, I've been dodging Mum, for the obvious reason she could find I don't know stuff I should.
And then, in another room, I overhear her on the phone, "oh her? Yeah, strange happenings. Deadly serious, reads all the books for real now, helps her friend in math."
Pause while the other speaks.
"Yeah, exactly the cause as I see it. She desperately needed that scare on the book reports," wicked laugh, "but actually, a bit frightening, different look in her eyes. Saw her in a dream last night, wild look of joy as she shoots Palestinians."
Pause.
"Yeah, I know, pretty unlikely, she does have less than zero interest in Judaism." Bitter laugh, "several months ago, she went near homicidal when I suggested Hebrew classes."
Pause.
"Of course I backed down. Ever see that look when she gets really angry?"
Pause.
"Yeah, I know, lucky she isn't into drugs. Got a call from her teacher, could not understand the apparent contradiction. Everyone else got caught with more book reports, yet she was the only one who seemed to change any. Oh well, good sign I guess, means she's a fast learner, does not repeat mistakes."
Pause.
"Yeah, guess you're right. They reach a point, tune you out, proceed down the Yellow Brick Road alone. And thank heavens, she appears to be on the right one. Still might be nice if she talked, even a bit."
Next Saturday brings yet another lesson. Another couple, one of Lily's Mum's colleagues and her husband.
The two men are totally insufferable. He hams it up twice what he did when I was the only guest.
As I listen, I decide I hate Judaism. Yet moments later, I soften. When you're an adult you simply weed out any troublesome friends.
Lily and I go outside after lunch. She gives a rueful smile, "hard to believe there are people that bad."
"Yeah, I hear you. If he were any more extreme, he'd be Gur Hasidic."
She laughs, punches my arm in fun, "you have come such a long way. So, thoughts on the future?"
"Let's just say I'm open minded, neither pro nor anti, just wish to learn more."
She smiles, "exactly how I feel, we can help each other on the way."
And that, gentle reader, is the story of how I found my best Earthling friend.