Sharon 1

I debate with myself, whether to dare show my face at Starbucks. Then I shrug, no point running or hiding from it.
Nervously I say, "grande, dark roast, room for cream please." It's only after I'm served I realize I had no need to panic, the staff don't know my name.
Thankfully, no one who knows me is here yet, gives me time to compose myself.
I groan when I see Naomi walk in, does it get any worse than that?
With a smug smart ass look, she sits at my table, "so, read Saturday's paper?"
I nod.
"Imagine that, sixteen pages of photos, they outdid themselves. But then they always did have a taste for the lurid. The big bathhouse riot, spilled out into the yard and even onto the street. So fierce it took water cannons to subdue it. Lot of arrests for D&D (Drunk and Disorderly). So ah, did you know that boyfriend of yours was a bathhouse habitue?"
I groan aloud, "news to me, it was."
In pedantic tone, she continues, "it has been my experience in life that genuine coincidences are few and far between. A random event is exactly that, singular. When the same thing happens three times in a row, it ain't random anymore."
I groan inwardly, here it comes.
"Now the BF before that was arrested for embezzling over a million dollars to feed his gambling addiction. And the one before him was arrested with twenty kilos of H at the airport. You do have a talent for picking lemons."
"I seem to recall your brother was on the list of those arrested at the riot."
"So what? Not like it was my boyfriend. Now, as I see it, you can take two possible interpretations. Wanna play ostrich? Then simply tell yourself that yes, you are still missing the target but not as badly. After all, gay D&D is less serious than embezzling, which in turn is less serious than smuggling drugs. Or, grab the bull by the horns, admit it's you who is the problem and go seek counselling at Jewish Family Services."
If anyone else had said this, I might be a little more open to it, but the Queen of Smartass?
She picks up her cup, walks away.
I sit there in a foul mood for a few minutes. But then, I cheer up. She's the worst, means the resta the comments get easier from here on in.

Table of Contents

Rose - entered December 2, 2007 to January 21, 2008 - what sort of person is approached by a space Alien anthropologist?

Minda - October 24 to November 18, 2007 - what happens when Mum becomes a lifer in prison?

Rivka - September 11 to October 9, 2007 - an ultraOrthodox girl experiences problems adjusting to mainstream life.

Tzeporah - August 10 to September 10, 2007 - a refugee from the past must keep a low profile.

Caroline - May 7 to 14, 2007 - so what happens when both parents die of a drug overdose, leave you growing up with Grandma?

All other items - last full table of contents was published April 2007. For ease of finding, please scroll down at right and click on "April 2007".

Rose 11

A few months later, I hear the familiar ping, smile, "hello Xar, I'll put on coffee."
"Sounds wonderful Rose, you make the best coffee of any of my clients."
Once I've poured, she starts tentatively, "ah, what do you make of the job search, Rose? Wasn't it over a thousand resumes, mostly by email?"
I smile wanly, "actually just over 1,500. Lotta rejection, major hit on the self esteem. Still, I choose to look on the bright side, call it a victory."
"So what did you get?"
"Miles better than those silly McJobs. Unionized job at the university library, full time, decent wage. If something better shows up over time, fine. If not, this is something I can live with."
"Give me your new schedule please, so I know when you're likely to be at home."
"Sure, ..."
She smiles, "I'm now ready to start learning about Japanese literature. I imagine it will take several visits."
I get up, pour us more coffee. This will definitely take a while.

Rose 10

As I close Prof Anderson's door, I realize I need a quiet think, opt for a spot behind a building pillar in the student lounge.
However you choose to describe her, "careful", "finicky", "politically correct", it's of course true. So, her agreeing with my revised chapter is a good sign. Pretty much a foregone conclusion my thesis will go through ok, I'll get my Masters degree this semester.
Where does that leave me? In need of reinventing myself.
I suppose I could chug along toward that PhD. First objection, in my heart of hearts I know I lack the energy, interest, ability, talent. Second objection, life gets harder financially. See as long as you haven't completed that Masters, you get lotsa work doing the first year compulsory half classes in English. Once you get the Masters, that all dries up; now you cost more per course hour. Yes, it's coolie wages compared to profs, but sure beats heck outa all those McJobs out there.
I suppose I could do the one year BEd add-on, end up teaching high school literature. Not on your life, I'd sooner trek to the source of the Nile with Darth Vader as expedition chief or be stranded on the Ungava Peninsula in the dead of winter.
Which means - gasp - a job. Hopefully a real job, not just a McJob. I'm aware a lot of people with so called practical degrees are underemployed. So, I can't imagine literature doing great things.
Time up, I practise my rebound shot into the garbage can with my cardboard coffee cup, head for my next class.

Rose 9

"Ain't it cold in the winter time?
Sky won't snow and the sun won't shine
Hard to tell nighttime from the day."
As I hear the familiar ping, I shut off the retro radio show. No loss, after half an hour, I'm starting to get tired of it.
Xar smiles cheerfully, "my friend, I want to thank you so much for your help last time."
I shrug, "no big deal, none of it was rocket science."
"My section chief was really pleased with the writeup. She was amazed you knew the answer to everything."
"Well, there were no inside jokes there. Pretty much anyone at the university would know all that. I'll put on coffee."
"Sounds wonderful Rose."
Once I've poured she gets to the point of this visit, "now you see Rose, a student newspaper is a funny thing. Not funny ha ha, funny peculiar."
I grin, "you noticed that!"
"Indeed, now I understand that they have a certain amount of censorship. Less in some places, more in others. I'm perfectly capable of getting the literal meaning by reading something in English. Where I, and the rest of us fall down is reading between the lines. Allegory and irony are not the strong points of our training."
We both laugh.
"Now you see Rose, I've saved up a dozen articles over this last semester. Try as hard as I can, I simply cannot decipher these. They either refer to something I can't guess or maybe even some of the writers are a bit psychotic."
She spreads them out on the table.
I draw a deep breath, "uh Xar, I've noticed alla these over time. I'd guess half can be deciphered and half are out there in never never land. Still, I'll give it my best try."