The House on Chelouche Street Page #3

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waiting for me to come out.

You have his eyes.

My mother would tell me:

"Why are you going with him?

"He's broke. He doesn't have

two cents to rub together. "

When we got married, he didn't

even have a change of underwear.

You loved him.

It's been six years

since he died.

It's been six years

since I let a man touch me.

Aren't you...?

Don't you think...?

Don't you want to?

- Get remarried? -Yes.

No. I've had enough.

I've got you kids.

I have you.

But you're still young.

You...

It's your life.

- My life?

Do you know how old I was

when I married your dad?

Eighteen.

A month later, I was pregnant.

You. And then it was your sister

Esti, before I could even flinch.

And I...

I know, a mother shouldn't

speak like that to her son.

But Sami, you read books,

you know what life is like.

I withheld your father from

touching me for four years.

How he must have agonized...

After that...

came Helena,

and then Jacko.

And then...

Me, Sami...

I haven't had

any other joys in my life.

You are my only joy.

Olives, onions.

Just like an Arab.

With your money,

you can eat Caviar.

With his money,

he eats olives and onions.

Max, how are things in Russia?

Frenk, you know

why I don't like Arabs?

Everybody knows. You can

skip the rest of your speech.

Besides, it's not funny any more.

Sami, how much do Grossman

and Goldfein pay you?

Already you're teaching him

capital issues? The little Frenk?

That's it, Sonya.

We're closing.

Can you close without me today?

- Fine. -Thanks.

See you.

- See you.

Jackass!

You know,

I also...

I also used to read books

on the street

until one day an electric pole

ran into me.

That man was probably softer,

right?

OK, you got me.

- I got you back at the store.

So why did you let me take it?

- So why did you take it?

I wanted to read it.

I would have returned it.

This was the first time.

- That you would have returned it?

Gorky...

It's French.

- And in Hebrew?

When...

while...

earning my keep.

In Russian:
Velogech.

OK, look. You got the book.

Can I go now?

Well...

I was curious to find out

which book you took.

Now I'm even more curious.

How about a cup of tea?

You don't like tea.

Maybe...?

Is this how they drink it

in Russia?

Do you approve?

- Not bad.

Were you born there? -I was born

here. My parents came from there,

and we used to speak Russian

at home.

How about you?

Egypt.

And you spoke French at home?

- Ladino. -Not Arabic?

We only spoke Arabic outside.

So where is your French from?

- We also spoke French.

And in school.

- Hebrew, Ladino, French, Arabic...

And a little English.

- English?

And some Italian.

Some Greek.

And I also speak Armenian.

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