My Epic Public Meltdown
It's not pretty but it happens to the best of us.
Immediately, I was filled with shame and regret. Why had I allowed myself to LOSE IT?
The “12 Day War” had only ended a few weeks before, but due to, apparently, other matters in Syria and Lebanon, the fighter jets were still streaking low across the skies of our valley. The base we live only a couple of kilometers from is almost entirely underground, leaving our lovely valley unblemished – except for the aforementioned streaking.
All of this was in the background when my Karen moment arrived. I was having a perfectly ordinary day and went out to do some errands. I had splurged and had a photo I took of the Emek (valley) made into a big canvas to hang in our bedroom. It’s a beautiful photo, if I do say so myself and I was excited to pick up the finished product. I had received a text a few days before that it would be ready on Thursday. Great! I waited until midday to pick it up, just in case it wasn’t there promptly in the morning. It’s hot – sure – but I’m used to that, and the shops are air-conditioned. As I walked into the main promenade of this indoor/outdoor “street” mall, a jet went over so fast and so low that everything was drowned out – the muzak, conversations, thoughts – everything. But tellingly, Israelis kept right on walking and shopping because that’s how we roll here. There’s no – OMG what was that?! We know what it is. And if it becomes something we need to be aware of, the sirens will sound. So until then, we keep moving despite the thunderous sounds of war. Israelis are excellent at compartmentalizing.
I arrive at the photo shop, and as usual, only one clerk is working. Lo nora, (no problem) as we’d say in Hebrew. I have plenty of time. The clerk is helping someone figure out which of their 5,000 wedding photos they should enlarge, turn into coffee cups, or fridge magnets.