Living in a fantasy
After seven years abroad, I missed Israel, humus, the beach, my friends. But when I tried to renew contact, it was as if they'd disappeared. Except for big Momo
A voice came over the loudspeaker: "We're approaching Ben Gurion airport, please fasten your seatbelts". I curled up in my seat, my excitement growing. "Ben Gurion," I thought. "Tel Aviv, humus, the beach. Pubs with songs in Hebrew…"
I hadn't been in the country in seven years. At the age of 22, I felt that nothing was going right in Israel, no normal jobs, not such a good life, no money. It took me about a week to decide: I would find my luck in the 'land of opportunity'.
Okay, it was hard there, too. Very hard, even. Like many Israelis before me, I started working at a moving agency, work that demanded physical strength and inflexible hours.
Afterwards, I found work with Jackson, an old Jewish man with a business filming Jewish weddings who taught me the trade. At night, I would help him edit the films, until I was an expert and he left me most of the work. I liked it. I knew all there was to know about cameras and editing.
One problem – Missing Israel
A year ago, Jackson offered me to become a partner. I agreed immediately and the nice man, my partner, helped me get a work permit in the states. Everything was going great. There was only one problem – I missed Israel terribly, the atmosphere, the food, my parents and, most importantly, my friends: Beni, Dudi, Yossi, and of course, Big Momo. As time went on, we lost touch, but the loneliness did not abate.
So I decided to go back for a visit. "It's time to see everyone," I thought. After two days at my parents' house, I started trying to renew contact, but couldn't track down telephone numbers or addresses. It was as if the earth has swallowed them whole.
The next morning, my mother knocked on the door. "Come downstairs, Razi, see who I brought," she said. Curious, I came downstairs and got a big surprise. On the sofa was a huge man, slightly older than I'd remembered, some gray hairs at his temples, but still unmistakable: Big Momo.
The big man stood up and spread his arms wide. "Razi," he shouted, "Razi, my friend, you're here." We hugged. "Let me look at you," he said. "You look exactly the same," another hug. "From now on you don't leave me."
A few minutes later, we were on his Vespa. "I met your mom at the supermarket, she told me you were here. What luck, huh? Now while you're here, I can return you to the furrow." "Where are we going?" I asked.
"First to get humus in Jaffa, then to the beach for a while, then pub-hopping in the city." His throaty voice hasn't changed and neither had his big, deep laugh.
A few surprises
At two in the morning, full and whiskey-soaked, I asked to return home. "Wait," he boomed. "First let's go by my house. You can see my apartment in Tel Aviv and meet my wife." I stared at him in shock. "Momo? You're married? You?" I asked incredulously. "Yeah," he responded. "You know how it is. You get older, you get married.""But look what time it is. You don't visit people at such a late hour." I protested. "Ssshhh," he quieted me. "Any hour is fine. My wife goes with the flow. Everything's ok. Come on."
He took me into the living room. "Sit Razi, feel comfortable." Then he turned his head to the corridor and yelled: "May, get up, come out here. I want you to meet the best friend I ever had."
"It's late, Momo, maybe it's not the time," I said, trying to get up. "Everything's fine, Razi. Relax. I told you she goes with the flow."
Meeting May
A few seconds later his wife came into the living room. Despite her unkempt hair and the fact that she was wearing a nightgown, she was one of the prettiest women I'd ever seen: short hair, big black eyes, a body whose nice curves you could see even through the baggy nightgown."May, this is Razi, my best friend," Momo said, introducing us. May shook my hand. "Nice to meet you Razi," she said. "Momo's told me a lot about you. It's nice to finally meet you."
"Okay May, baby," Momo said. "Everyone's been acquainted. Go into the kitchen and bring us two beers." She did as he asked without a word of protest and came back immediately with two open beers. "Great, now run to bed. We need to be alone."
I felt embarrassed, both by the late hour and by Momo's condescending tone to his wife. "Good night, Raz," she smiled and disappeared into the bedroom.
"How long have you been married Momo? "Do you have kids?" I asked. "Nope, no kids yet. Only married a year and a half. There's still time for these things," he answered.
We kept chatting. "So, where's all the gang?" I asked. "You know how it is," he sipped his beer. "Time goes by, everyone goes in their own direction, years pass. I have no idea where everyone is. They just scattered. But what does it matter? The important thing is that you're here and we're hanging out. Tomorrow night you're coming over for dinner. May is a great cook. You'll be very impressed with her skills."
At five in the morning, he dropped me off at my parents' house. "Don't forget. Tomorrow night at eight."
'Too many compliments will make her cocky'
I didn't forget. I even looked forward to it, if only to see his delightful wife. During dinner, I couldn't stop complimenting her. She was wearing a summer dress that complimented her thin figure, and she thanked me shyly.
"Nonsense," said Momo. "Too many compliments aren't healthy. She'll get cocky." He didn't stop sending her into the kitchen to bring more wine and beer. At the conclusion of the meal, I offered to help clear the table. "No way. That's what she's here for. Bye baby," he told her. "We're going down to the neighborhood bar."
She glanced at me, as if trying to send me a covert message. I wanted to take her in my arms and tell her that we weren't all like that. "Bye, May," I said and we left.
I tried to talk to him, to figure out his behavior. "Razi, forget about it. That's how I live and that's how I act, you know, unrefined."
During the next two weeks, I visited their home a number of times. Momo's attitude didn't change, it always remained borderline insulting and humiliating. I tried sometimes to make her laugh, only to see her great smile. It's not fun to admit, but I felt bound to the poor creature, more and more with each meeting. Her stolen glances told me a similar story.
I didn't visit the house for a week. I drove down to Eilat to visit my big sister and her familiy. When I returned, I called Momo. "Hey Razi, good that you're back. Come over tonight, we're barbequing."
We'd scheduled for eight, but when I arrived at their door, I heard Momo's shouts and, in the brief pauses, her weak apologies. "Don't ask," Momo said. "She burnt the lamb chops that I bought. Get out of my sight!" he screamed at her. "I don't want to see you." She, as usual, stood there with downcast eyes.
"Come on," he shouted. "Go already. You've gotten on my last nerve."
She stood without moving, then looked at me with tearful eyes, as if asking for my help. "Momo," I said gently. "It doesn't matter. Let's all go to a restaurant, my treat."
On her side
"Leave me alone, Razi. You're on her side, too? I'm sick of this. I'm getting out of here and going to Eilat." He went into the bedroom and came out with a suitcase. "Coming, Razi?""No, Momo, I just got back from there yesterday."
"Fine. If the mood catches you, I'll be in Eilat." He picked up the TV remote and hurled it at the wall, in a final act, breaking it to pieces, then left, slamming the door behind him with all of his might. We both shook from the noise, standing opposite of each other, exchanging glances.
"I'm sorry May. I don't know this side of Momo," I said. "That's okay," she responded. "I do." She burst into tears and covered her face with her hands.
"Please don't cry," I begged. I took her hands, trying to be comforting, stroking her hair, her back. "He'll get better with time," I said, trying to calm her. She shook her head. "No, he won't," she whispered.
My caresses of her hair and back grew longer. She laid her head on my chest, and before I knew what was happening or where it would go, we were locked in a long, demanding kiss. Afterwards, she pulled away from me and moved towards the bedroom, looking at me with a glance both sad and enticing, and disappeared inside.
Breaking my resistance with a word
I stood in the living room, embarrassed and shocked, not knowing what to do. "Dammit, it's your friend's wife," I told myself. "Not only is it forbidden, it's forbidden even to think about." But, as if I were being drawn in by a big magnet, I drifted towards the bedroom. I stood at the door, ridden with anxiety. She sat on the double bed, the room was darkened. "Come," she whispered, breaking any resistance I had with one word.
Within seconds, we were together, peeling off clothes, sighing, moaning, grasping each other tightly, squirming in passion. After a long hour, we rested next to each other, breathing heavily. There was a troublesome silence. She tried to say something, I stopped her. "Let's not say anything," I whispered, "Let's become addicted to silence." She nodded her head in agreement.
We lay intertwined in wonderful silence, when suddenly my senses sprang to life. I got out of bed. "Where are you going?" May whispered. I placed a finger on my lips, indicating for her to be quiet. I came forward slowly, searching for something strange, until I found it – I opened the closet in a fluid motion.
Inside, on the top shelve, exactly behind the air hole, was a small video camera, "very advanced" was my first thought. The long nights in Jackson's studio had taught me well, and I could identify the gentle whirl of filming instruments anywhere.
I picked up the camera and turned to the bed. May sat there, her sad face changed into one of anger, somehow distorted. "What is this all about?" I asked in a broken voice. "Whose idea was this?"
"You have no idea, huh?" she smiles. "Your good friend, big Momo, can't get off without seeing me doing it with someone else. And the hotter the sex it, that's how much better it is for him with me."
"But that's sick," I spluttered. "That's crazy!"
"No it's not. Nothing's off limits here, and I'm really crazy about my husband. I'll do anything for him, and with anyone. Which reminds me," she laughed. "Didn't you ask yourself where the gang was, where they'd gone off to? Momo brought them all here to my bed. Every movie with one of his friends did us a lot of good for a few days."
"So, all of the abuse was just a show?" Her smile widened. "One big act. That way everyone feels sorry for me and attracted to me, wants to protect me. You didn't really think Momo had gone to Eilat, did you? He's downstairs in the pub, waiting for you to leave, so that he can come upstairs and have fun with me."
