The short interviewA Story by Haim KadmanAn excerpt of the manuscript The thrilling adventure.The short interview The thrilling adventure An excerpt Lieutenant colonel Erez Roghel the military attaché' was reading
the telegram that announced Elad Daphni's arrival when Josh Paldi knocked on
his office door and entered; Paldi did not wait for an invitation to enter, and
sat down opposite Roghel without a word. They were not too fond of each other,
but they had to work together and get along somehow. 'I've just left him at the Ghenet hotel after picking him up at the
airport.' He reported to Roghel the minimum he had to tell him. 'Well how is he?' Roghel asked him raising his eyes from the
telegram with the few necessary details about the new comer. 'He seems okay and I'm about to bring him to meet his two crew
members, and brief the three of them. Do you want to see him, or…' 'Yes of course I want to know what's he's made of, a few words with
him would suffice; by the way, I didn't expect them to send us another red
beret instead of an engineering corps officer.'
'Well he's a demolition expert as far as I know.' Josh a red beret
himself hastened to defend his junior comrade, although he did not know a thing
about Elad's capabilities yet. 'Was he under your direct command back home?' 'No I saw him in the camp from time to time, and heard enough good
things about him. I believe he'll fit in and I'll see to it personally.' 'Well it's your problem,' Roghel muttered while fishing a cigarette
package out of his desk drawer. He pulled a cigarette out sniffed it while
holding it with the fingers of his left hand, as if hinting to Josh that he
expects him to leave. 'Alright I going to pick him up,' the delegation's head said and
stood up and left. What the hell has he got against red berets? We're the best
soldiers of our army and he complains in my face, as if he doesn't know me and
my background? Josh thought angered while driving on his way to pick up Elad.
He can get on one's nerves that son of a b***h… What's his battle experience I
would like to know; I doubt if he'd any the bloody armchair warrior? He kept
thinking frustrated pushing down the accelerator, frightening the passersby
that crossed the road running. At about five minutes past two pm Josh Paldi entered the Ghenet
hotel's lobby, made a sign with a raised hand to Elad to join him, and they
went out to the hotel's parking lot and Josh's car. ; You'll have a short interview with lieutenant colonel Erez Roghel
our military attaché,' he turned to Elad on their way to the Israeli embassy.
'He's in charge on our delegation here just formally, but you won't see him
much except when we gather here on holidays all of us. What you should know and
be aware of, well he isn't an easy going type; so just listen to him patiently,
and don't forget to say "yes sir" before leaving his office.' 'Okay I'll be careful,' Elad promised him with an amused smile. As they reached the embassy Josh slowed down and parked the car,
and they got off and entered the embassy building; they crossed the local clerk
behind the reception counter and mounted the steps to the first floor. 'I'll introduce you to some of the staff with which you'll have to
meet and settle your various usual arrangements, but only after the interview
with our military attaché'' Paldi added and led him to Roghel's office. HE knocked on Roghel's office
door and entered, while Elad shut the door and followed him, and stood beside
him in front of Roghel's desk. 'This is captain Daphni.' Josh introduced him laconically to
Roghel. 'Sit down both of you,' Roghel said while weighing up Elad with a
long stare. 'So you were sent to us as an infantry and a demolition officer,
well that's a fine combination. But do tell us in a few words your background
and what's your experience as an officer.' 'I was a platoon commander in an airborne regiment, a company
commander second in command and an instructor in a military school, which was
my last assignment.' 'What's your experience then as a demolition expert?' The military
attaché wondered without trying to hide his doubts and distrust. There's enough
time After all he thought to send the red beret back home, and demand an
engineering corps officer as a replacement instead of that green horn. 'I'd month training at the engineering corps training base,
particularly for this assignment sir.' Although they did not wear uniforms and ranks according to the
locals' demands and the general atmosphere between the delegation's members was
informal, but the military attaché's cold and unfriendly behavior offended
Elad, and he had to do his best to appear as calm, modest and obedient as much
as he could. Roghel kept watching him a few silent seconds holding the cigarette's
filter between his teeth, before he bade Elad with a short good luck blessing
and freed him and the delegation's head. © Haim Kadman August 2015 " all rights reserved. © 2015 Haim Kadman
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Added on August 23, 2015 Last Updated on August 23, 2015 Tags: Literature, prose, adventure, romance, love AuthorHaim KadmanPetach-Tikva, IsraelAboutProfile: A few words about myself: being a native of a small country whose waist is seventeen kilometers wide in a certain area; and in seven to eight hours drive one can cross its length, I was amaze.. more..Writing
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