Israel is a small country in the Middle East, rich in bureaucracy and ineffective government, but very poor in water. To circumvent the water crisis, the government took the only logical step. No, it’s not what you think, desalinization of seawater is indeed a good idea, but the Israeli government had a better one. Raising the price of fresh water is far more effective than desalinization of seawater. Governmental excellence at its best.
Watering one’s back yard would have become a significant expense. We decided to take countermeasures and take out the lawn. Instead, we poured concrete over the entire back yard, place ceramic tiles over it, and let plants around the edges take care of themselves. Fortunately for us, our neighbours on the east and south water their gardens often. We have advised our plants to redirect their roots to the east and south, or else. So far, I’m happy to say, they have complied, and have survived.
We also fired the gardener, who was doing absolutely nothing anyway. Every month he would have come to collect his pay, and every month it would have been harder to explain the gardener’s contribution to the misery of the back yard.
However, the surviving plants did need grooming, as we realized six months later, so we found this new guy, who was willing to work without a retainer. He agreed to come on occasion and charge a reasonable price while leaving the garden spotless and well groomed. Last week, in preparation to Guy’s seventh birthday, I called him and told him to come at his earliest convenience. He was there the next day.
I cam back early from work and was working in the garden. I offered coffee, and said no thanks. I insisted, and he agreed. I then returned embarrassed because we ran out of black coffee. I offered tea. He accepted. I added a birthday cake. He liked it. We started to talk.
He said his family originated in Tripoli, Libya. I offered that my family was from Romania, The Ukraine, Russia, Morocco, Spain and Turkey. My wife has all the above, plus Bulgaria. We started talking about food. I can’t remember how, but the conversation went to spicy fish. Khreime. I said I loved it. He said his father makes the best Khreime ever. He said his father wouldn’t give up the recipe. Amazingly, or not, my grandmother, who was a great cook of a few dishes, left none of them behind, except one, which I gladly make any time I have a chance…
To make a long story short, he finished working on the garden, packed his things and left. Twenty minutes later he came back with a plastic container with two slices of the best Khreime I ever tasted.
And the point is? The world is full of good people. In fact the absolute most people are good. All you need to find is the way to their hearts. Finding the way to one person’s heart is an accomplishment I am really proud of. Make sure you look around today, see the good in people, and find ways to their hearts. It will make our world a better place…
Latest Comments