A Movie

 And just like that my life turned into an Almodovar movie.

I was settling down last night and about to write on my Saturday in the West Bank.  Just before I was to write my cousin called from California - we haven't spoken in a while, and were deep in conversation when there was a knock on my door.  My neighbour asked me if I could do her a big favour.  Her friend's husband is in the ICU at Meir Hospital in Cfar Saba and her son and his husband needed to film him reading his will and they needed two witnesses -immediately. 

Off we raced to the hospital.  Her friend held my neighbour and sobbed loudly - we looked at each other, this woman I had never met before this second. I hugged her and she fell onto my shoulder sobbing.  Then very quickly we had to clean our hands, put on gloves, and gowns were placed over our heads.  Of course we had masks on, but more masks were placed over them.  Dressed in blue we were ushered into his room - machines beeping, red and green lines flashing.  The son and his husband dressed like us held up a phone. The man thanked us and said he is pleased to meet me, but wishes the circumstances were different. The son gave him a piece of paper and he read his last will, stating he is of sound mind, which he obviously was - it was his body that was not even close to being sound. He was undergoing dialysis, one leg had been amputated and his remaining leg was to be amputated. All this precipitated by his cancer. Once he read the will my friend stated her name and ID number, then I did the same. We signed the paper, wished the man whatever we could wish him in his current condition.

Then we went to Aroma Cafe.  His wife's estranged sister and her friend arrived. The wife screamed at the sister, and the world, and shouted about the doctors, shouted at herself, told us all that had occurred over the last few days.  He already had a leg amputated the day before, and apparently the doctor asked where she wanted the leg . 

WHAT? we all stopped arguing - where did she want the leg?  For what - what other parts will she be asked to keep.  Apparently according to Jewish law the body has to be buried whole.  This set us off about ashes, The Big Lebovski, cremations, funerals and we all doubled over with laughter. The woman asked the orthopedist if this is the meaning of "he has one foot in the grave?"  Well she told him, wait till tomorrow when you take of his other leg. maybe I can decide then.

To say this was a light relief from the present realities may give you an idea of the current situation.