Home alone

1

Not a big deal, I assured Efrat. I’m their father for crying out loud. Why shouldn’t I be able to look after them for three days? Believe me, I am the last person to begrudge you the fact that while he is peeling hard boiled eggs and frying corn cutlets for these adorable children, his wife the mother of these kids, has been sent abroad by her work and is at this moment tasting exotic fruits opposite a spectacular view.

2

It’s not necessary Efrat I don’t need any help, really. I’ll be fine. It’ll be fun. Worse case scenario, I’ll call my mother and ask her to be on standby. And with your mother, who will drop by if I need, to cook a hot meal. And maybe your sister who could help me tidy up a bit and of course my sister to take the kids off my hands for a while and with the housecleaner, who I’ll ask to come and live here for a few days, and wit the minister of trade to arrange a caregiver from the Philippines or seven.

3

Just leave me emergency phone numbers, you know, just in case. You know: The preschool teacher, schoolteachers, occupational therapist, chess club, health fund and maybe the emergency room, just to be on the safe side.

4

The farewell from Efrat was really emotional. She remembered the scene from the cartoon series Marco where he separates from his mother, but in our case it was the dad that cried and it was the children who comforted him.

5

After our first dinner without mom (we ate grill flavored Bisli, marshmallows and other sweets) the children asked for their pajamas. I strained trying to remember: the kids take their clothes off every evening, shower and put on pajamas. I see it happening. I am even involved in the process but I never paid attention to where the pajamas come from. It’s not like they come of out of nowhere. I rummaged through the closet a bit and after a major effort I came up with pajamas for Aviv. She put them on and asked when her class is. Turns out I gave her the outfit for ballet.

6

Listen up, I said to the kids in the end. Forget pajamas. Let’s sleep in our clothes. In any case we need to wear them again tomorrow. Why take them off tonight if in another few hours we’ll have to wear them again? The kids did not argue. Guess they agreed that there was no point in repeating the same ceremony every evening.

7

The next afternoon I went looking for plates for dinner when the plates from the evening meal of the night before glared at me from the kitchen sink. I looked left and right and quickly pulled them out. Formal ceremonies are unnecessary, I mumbled to myself, why pull out new plates?

8

The next day we all stayed home. Why take them to preschool and school, I said to the kids from under the comforter, if in any case at 3:30 they’ll have to come home anyway? Why all these location changes? Who benefits? Just creates chaos. Let’s stay home until your mother returns. Life outside will wait, of that I am sure. What about my chess group? asked Yehuda. You already win every game with your father, I said, and went back to sleep.

9

On the last night before Efrat’s rturn I decided to have a talk with Yehuda and Aviv. I told them their mother was coming back that night and we don’t want to worry her, right? Right, the children replied. Therefore, only so that Mommy will be happy, we need not tell her that you guys did not go to school and preschool over the last few days. And also that you ate only pizzas and sweets. Okay?

10

2 am and Efrat arrives home. It was great I said before she asks. Everything went like clockwork, as if you were here. What do you know, said Efrat, I was sure that during these three days you guys would stay in pajamas and eat pizza for meals. I figured you would not send them to their after school groups and barely to school and kindergarten.