The Plague of Hail

This week's Torah reading contains the epic conclusion of the Ten Plagues brought down upon Egypt. While it took all ten to make Pharaoh "let my people go!", it only took one plague to ruin my day. Blood, frogs, lice, wild animals, pestilence, boils, locusts, darkness, and the slaying of the first born are thankfully off the ledger, but the weather today has been hail, as well as rain, wind, lightning, and thunder.

The day started innocently enough. The Americans' shuttle to Jerusalem showed up twenty minutes late, yet still managed to get us there twenty minutes early. After praying in the Central Bus Station's synagogue, I ate a breakfast I instantly regretted at a greasy spoon diner. The eggs were salty, the bread stale, and the Greek Salad was no more Greek than I am. From there, I taxied to Katamon, where I would be staying for Shabbat. I dropped my malfunctioning computer at my computer shop, and, having nothing else to do, went for a walk.

I do not say "nothing else to do" lightly. True, I do enjoy the occasional stroll around town, but I'd rather hang out with some of my friends, or at least, stroll with them. And since Friday is the big day off in Israel (no Sundays, or rather, no Sundays off), I figured someone would want to do something. So I was actually quite shocked when everyone I called was "busy" or "unavailable" or "sleeping" or "I never want to see your face again, do you understand me?!" My yeshiva friends all disappeared rather hastily to their Shabbat destinations: Josh to Tel Aviv, Jamin to Ein Gedi, Yehuda to a funeral, Ilan to America (he left last night), and everyone else to wherever. And after I got nada* from Micah, Leor, Liora, Ruthie, and Ariel Hausman, I decided to get some excercize, something that has been hard for me to do with the Terrible Toe.

So I walked. From Katamon to Emek Refaim to Keren Hayessod Street. Overall, it took a little more than an hour. And the weather was nice. But then, as I was about to reach the top of Keren Hayessod, the skies opened up. I didn't even get a chance to reach my final destination, the almighty Ben Yehuda Street. I taxied back to Katamon, where I am currently typing this message. Hail bounced off the windshield off the taxi, whose driver's irritation increased, as this distracted him from his egg salad sandwich (as well as his driving, though that is somewhat less of a priority).

And now? I am at the Avericks' once again, fed, showered (though with the weather, probably not necessary), and ready for the shabbat. Looking forward to good food, time for reading, and sleep.

Shabbat Shalom.

*nada: a light chicken gravy