The fable

An excerpt of my 20th book, a novel: The Thrilling Adventure.

The fable

The Thrilling Adventure

An excerpt

On Tuesday morning a few seconds before he raised the receiver to call Roghel, Josh heard a slight knock on his office door; and to his surprise Yaniv opened up the door, and came in with a broad smile on his face.

'Good morning Josh how are you?'

'I'm fine Oren Thanks and I guess I don't have to ask how you feel. But sit down Oren, and what brought you from Awash in mid week?' Josh wondered raising his voice.

'You aren't updated then Josh I'm afraid, well I'm flying home tomorrow for a short leave, and I've come to say good bye till I'll return, that's all.' He added and a broad smile appeared again on his face.

'Isn't it somewhat early for you yearly home leave?'

'Oh It isn't my yearly home leave Josh, which will come in due time; the reason is the hospitalization of my dear wife, she's in a bad shape and I was asked with urgency to come and be at her bedside, until she'll feel better and recover.'

'Well bon voyage Oren and give your wife my wishes for quick recovery, and I hope to see you back soon.' Josh did his best to get rid of Yaniv, he was sick and tired of him; and he simply craved to get rid of the lickspittle's presence.

As soon as Yaniv left his office, Josh called Roghel.

'Hello Erez have you got a few moments to spare?'

Roghel's answer was positive with some reservation though, and Josh left his office and went over to have a few words with the military attaché about Yaniv's unexpected leave, and a few more problems that had to be solved.

He entered Edna's ante room, nodded his head to her with a hint of a smile, knocked once on Roghel's office door and opened it up and entered. He did not wait for Roghel's invitation to sit down, and pulled the lone chair next to Roghel's desk and sat down facing him.

'Couldn't you update me on Yaniv's leave? Do I've to remind you that I'm the delegation's head, and that Yaniv is under my direct command?' He scolded the military attaché without the slightest hesitation, and without raising his voice.

'Calm down please Josh, we've decided together to send him home, didn't we?'

'I'm not offended and I'm not angry Erez, yes we did decide to send him back home; but you should've updated me before meeting Yaniv, and is the fable of his sick wife your idea?'

'Is that what he told you?' Roghel asked him with a chuckle, feigning surprise.

'Well you know him better than me Josh, he's your man.'

I won't be surprised if that fable is your invention and not his, for if he'd invented it he would've told it to me with tears in his eyes. But he made quite an effort not to laugh in my face, while telling me that his wife was hospitalized…' Josh summed up his conclusions on that trivial case

'In any case good riddance, and let's sum it up seriously Erez. I think that we should suggest our defense ministry that a team of two would suffice; we don't need a third senior figure to head a team of an infantry and physical training officers.'

'They won't accept it, but we may suggest an improved team form, of three junior officers with four or three years at least of experience; which would include infantry, demolition, and physical training experts.' Roghel corrected him.

'Alright I do agree with you Erez, but nevertheless I think that we'd better suggest both these options, while the infantry officer in the team of two will serve also as a demolition expert.'

'No problem Josh I'll sign you on the message that I'll send to the defense ministry right now.' Roghel declared with relief, glad to reach understanding with the delegation's head; and to leave the reminiscences of the humiliating meeting with Yaniv behind him.

© Haim Kadman 2016 �" all rights reserved.