Debra fetched David a Goldstar beer and they were sitting on the terrace
together when her father arrived.
He came in through the wicket gate, stooping his tall frame under the
stone lintel and taking off his uniform cap as he entered the garden.
He wore uniform casually cut, and open at the throat with cloth insignia
or rank and wings at the breast pocket. He was slightly
round-shouldered, probably from cramming his lanky body into the cramped
cockpits of fighter aircraft, and his head was brown and bald with a
monk's fringe of hair and a fierce spiky mustache through which a gold
tooth gleamed richly. His nose was big and hooked, the nose of a
biblical warrior, and his eyes were dark and snapping with the same
golden lights as Debra's. He was a man of such presence that he
commanded David's instant respect. He stood to shake the General's hand
and called him sir completely naturally.
The Brig subjected David to a rapid, raking scrutiny and reserved his
judgement, showing neither pleasure nor disdain.
Later David would learn that the nickname The Brig was a shortened
version of The Brigand, a name the British had given him before 1948
when he was smuggling warplanes and arms into Palestine for the Haganah.
Everyone, even his children called him that and only his wife used his
given name, Joshua.
David is sharing the Sabbath meal with us tonight, Debra explained to
him.
You are welcome, said the Brig, and turned to embrace his women with
love and laughter, for he had seen neither of them since the previous
Sabbath, his duties keeping him at air bases and control rooms scattered
widely across the land.
When Joe arrived, he was also in uniform, the casual open-necked khaki
of summer, and when he saw David he dropped his slow manner and hurried
to him, laughin& and enfolded him in a bear hug, speaking over his
shoulder to Debra.
Was I right?
Joe said you would come, Debra explained.
It looks like I was the only one who didn't know, David protested.
There were fifteen at dinner, and the candlelight gleamed on the
polished wood of the huge refectory table and the silver Sabbeth
goblets. The Brig said a short prayer, the satin and gold embroidered
yamulka looking slightly out of place on his wicked bald head, then he
filled the wine goblets with his own hand murmuring a greeting to each
of his guests. Hannah was with Joe, her copper hair glowing handsomely
in the candlelight, and she greeted David with reserve. There were two
of the Brig's brothers with their wives and children and grandchildren,
and the talk was loud and confusing as the children vied with their
elders for a hearing and the language changed at random from Hebrew to
English.
The food was exotic and spicy, although the wine was too sweet for
David's taste. He was content to sit quietly beside Debra and enjoy the
sense of belonging to this happy group. He was startled then when one
of Debra's cousins leaned across her to speak to him.
This must be very confusing for you, your first day in such an unusual
