Robert was still talking. My sister made me read it.
She works for the publisher. She cried all night when she read it. it
is very new, only published last week, but it's got to be the biggest
book ever written about this country.
David hardly heard him, he was staring at the writer's name in small
print below the title.
Debra Mordecai.
He ran his fingers lightly over the glossy paper of the jacket, stroking
the name.
I want to read it, he said softly.
I'll let you have it when I'm finished, Robert promised. I want to read
it now!
No way! Robert exclaimed with evident alarm, and almost snatched the
book out of David's hands. You wait your turn, comrade!
David looked up. Joe was watching him from across the room, and David
glared at him accusingly. Joe dropped his eyes quickly to the
chessboard again, and David realized that he had known of the
publication. He started up to go to him, to challenge him, but at the
moment the tannoy echoed through the bunker.
All flights Lance Squadron to red standby, and on the readiness board
the red lamps lit beside the flight designations. Bright Lance. Red
Lance. Fire Lance. David snatched up his flying helmet and joined the
lumbering rush of G-suited bodies for the electric personnel carrier in
the concrete tunnel outside the crewroom door. He forced a place for
himself beside Joe. Why didn't you tell me? 'he demanded. I was going
to, Davey, I really was.
Yeah, I bet, David snapped sarcastically. Have you read it? Joe
nodded, and David went on, What's it about?' 'I couldn't begin to tell
you. You'd have to read it yourself Don't worry about that, David
muttered grimly, I will, and he jumped down as they reached their hangar
and strode across to his Mirage.
Twenty minutes later they were airborne and Desert Flower sent them
hastening out over the Mediterranean at interception speed to answer a
Mayday call from an El Al Caravelle who reported that she was being
buzzed by an Egyptian MIG 2 1J.
The Egyptian sheered off and raced for the coast and the protection of
his own missile batteries as the Mirages approached.
They let him go and picked up the airliner. They escorted her into the
circuit over Lad before returning to base.
Still in his G-suit and overalls, David stopped off at le Dauphin's
office and got himself a twenty-four-hour pass.
Ten minutes before closing time he ran into one of the bookstores in the
Jaffa Road.
There was a pyramid display of A Place of Our Own on the table in the
centre of the store.
It's a beautiful book, said the salesgirl as she wrapped it.
He opened a Goldstar, and kicked off his shoes before stretching out on
the lace cover of the bed.
He began to read, and paused only once to switch on the overhead lights
and fetch another beer. It was a thick book, and he read slowly,
