Weekends

'THE GAMBIT' is an anthology of twenty five short stories. This third anthology of mine incorporates three groups of short stories based on my imagination, experience and knowledge. Here is a short ex

"The Gambit"

An excerpt

Weekends were the days that Avner Tanami detested in particular, for these were the days in which he roamed in the streets of this foreign town; just as on this very Friday night, pretending to be some kind of a playboy, while in fact he missed his home town, and the girl he left behind who has found surely someone else … He missed his friends with whom he used to meet on Friday nights, the warm and open atmosphere without pretense; in contrast to the need to pretend he is someone else, and to get used to his new identity. On top of it he had to be cautious and cold towards those he came in touch with, at these very early stages of his new career.

These thoughts kept bothering his conscious repeatedly every Friday night, and during the entire weekend, while sitting over a newspaper in the afternoon and checking all the possibilities he could have, to pass his time during one more weekend.

Thus in this certain evening he roamed the lighted town's streets without any purpose, he simply moved to where ever his feet took him. Somewhat later he turned a corner and a lighted signpost glowed before his eyes, of some local entertainment hall. It was the last craze in this small town too, bingo.

If he would have passed near such an entertainment hall in his own country, he would not have bothered to know what it means; but the need to adapt to his new environment, and to learn the local population preferred aspects of entertainment, made him change his mind. He had after all to behave as if he was one of them, to adapt an image of a completely different person; of a local of one of the districts of this foreign country, and to get rid of all traits that could expose his real identity. It was not that critical yet in this peaceful country of course, but in the future when it would no doubt be when he shall have to serve in an enemy country. That is why he entered the hall and bought a ticket, forms, and received free of charge a cheap pen at the entrance.

An entertainer stood on the stage and read the numbers that popped up through an air fountain in ceaseless cycles. The hall was full and Tanami had to stroll all along the aisle up to the stage, looking for a free seat; on his way back towards the exit he perceived a lone free seat, and pushed his way towards it while mumbling excuses from those that occupied the seats on his way up to his evening destination; while he was passing over the forms to find the right slots for the current number series, his neighbor on his left hastened to help him to find it out, and as he hesitated where to mark the right number, his neighbor did it rather nimbly for him. She did complete her own form much earlier and very quickly. Thus Tanami sat besides her listening to her explanations, watching with wonder her face, her hand scribbling in his form held on his knees, and that's how the time elapsed up to the intermission.

Next to the bar while drinking coffee they have exchanged a few words. She introduced herself as Alison Duncan, while he told her the name that appears in his passport. It was very pleasant to chat with her, particularly due to his depressive state of mind during the few moments before he met her. She was very friendly and very talkative; he could not avoid suspecting some kind of a trap. It seemed as she was briefed beforehand and expected him. But she was not what one would define as beautiful or an alluring female. She was a small blond bespectacled with green eyes and she said that she is married and is a bingo addict, her husband and their friends await her in their neighborhood pub. These few details made him change his mind; and he thought he could refer to their meeting as a coincidental one.

The intermission has not ended yet, and she already offered him to accompany her to the pub, and meet her husband and their friends.

The next hour in the bingo hall passed rather quickly again as Tanami or we had better call him Guy, was very busy filling the bingo forms, and glancing around from time to time to find out how their sudden friendship seemed to their neighbors on both their sides.

Walking beside her seemed to Guy a bit strange, while he accompanied her in the empty streets. If she would have parted from him at the end of this evening, he would have asked her politely when he will see her again, without any intention to do so; these were the rules he had to follow and obey, to avoid close relationships. He could not know if he may meet the same people under a completely different identity in the future, while serving under a cover story in an enemy country.

But through meeting her he learned many details that were very important to him, her way of thinking, the subjects that interested her, the local slang; it was a gold mine as far as he was concerned. While passing time in a pub in the company of her friends and her husband, could be quite an asset. It had after all to become part of his personal experience embedded in his new identity.

At the pub he was introduced to Alison's husband and the Duncan's friends, in a short straight to the point introduction without any embarrassing complications. He joined in darts' throwing and drinking beer, while the women sat next to the bar drinking cherry brandy. It was a fascinating night he could not have dreamed of. He took part in the drinking rounds, but after the fourth he stopped and when his turn came he just paid and did not drink, he had to be cautious for he was not used to such quantities of booze. 

When the hour came and the pub had to be shut down, all of them turned to their cars, and drove to the Alison and David's house, some pastry and tea were served and Guy listened with wonder to the teasing remarks and chuckles on Alison's account.  When their friends parted at last the time was two am.

'Listen,' Alison said to Guy, 'you'll sleep here tonight, everything is closed by now.'

The next morning Alison entered without knocking on his bedroom's door, carrying a platter with his breakfast. She sat beside his bed and while Guy was eating, she explained to him in detail the schedule of their coming day.

A short while later Guy was sitting on the rear seat of his hosts' car, on a Saturday trip in the mountainous region landscapes, listening to Alison's favorite music: "you got your troubles I've got mine" on the car's radio, with a broad smile on his face " he did not detest weekends anymore.

Haim Kadman 2008 " all rights reserved.

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