As I picked up the receiver a mechanical voice emerged: “You have a collect call from ‘Bezek’ (phone company) client by the name of ‘_______’. Do you accept the charges?”. In the pause I heard a male voice, with a definitely Arab accent say what was probably “Achmad”.
Realizing that the fellow had made a mistake, I hung up, effectively refusing the charges, and turned to go back to my task at hand.
It took no more than three steps before an icy fear grasped my heart.
Twice I had read of women receiving phone calls from their husband’s terrorist kidnapers, informing them that their husbands were victims of kidnapping. In one case the husband survived, in the other the man was brutally murdered in cold blood.
The image of my son David, the soldier, flew to me, and the cold fear that he might be the next “Gilad Shalit” swept over me.
Then I suddenly brightened, and reaching for the phone, I dialed my son’s cellular phone. Within moments he answered, and after a casual “HI, how are you?”, I tried to invent a reason for calling at that (busy) time of day.
“Mom, what’s up?”, my perceptive fellow asked.
So I explained his paranoid mom’s fears, adding “You know, that’s just the way Moms are.....”
At least he is safe.
I wish Gilad Shalit was.
7 comments:
That's scary. I've gotten wrong numbers, I've gotten my sign that I keep on my door ripped off in an attempt to convert me to some other religion (I am just non religious and didn't want to be bothered by well meaning people so I post the sign so I could be left alone but after an incident down the street I came home to see my sign ripped off the door and knew it was related to the incident down the street. It was a bit scary to me).
I really hope your soldier son remains safe always. My sister is in the military in the Navy but she is stationed in Virginia but is currently deployed elsewhere in the USA. Everyday I worry she will be sent to Iraq or Afghanistan as she is my only sister and pretty much the only true family I have left besides one grandmother and one aunt (I do have a very huge family just on my mother's side as my grandmother bore 7 children of her own and also had 6 stepchildren as well, but due to some really bad stuff that went down in the 70s in our family (lots of shame involved) before I was born so now no one speaks to each other anymore now and my mom also died when I was a child of 9 years old, and I am a second generation living in foster care so now it's just the two of us so if she gets sent to the Mideast my heart will be broken and in pieces because on top of that she is also fighting stage 2 cervical cancer which the Navy knows about but is keeping her working as a plane mechanic in the USA. I hope everyone that I don't lose my sister, she is special to me. I remember the day she was born and I remember the day she walked for the first time (I was the first one to see her walk for the first time - mom wasn't home at the time, she was working). If I lose my sister it will be just me and that is going to be very tough and hard for me to handle. I cannot deal with my so called dad and his family because they abused us during our childhood. I and my sister had to make the tough decision to severe ties with them for safety as well as therapeutic/psychological-related reasons, because they continue to hurt us.
I can understand that you are scared and worried with your son being in the Israel military just as I am scared and worried with my sister in the USA military. If any of our USA military has harmed or killed any of your people, I apologize, and I have the utmost respect for your people. I wish there was complete peace and no wars and all that. I despise violence of any kind. I wish I could give you a hug. You are a kind person I can tell.
I really enjoy your blog and even though you are religious I still agree with so many valid points even if it's religion related, etc. You do make good points for what we do with our lives and our behavior and stuff like that.
Anyway, Take care.
Lucia
Er, when I said everyone (relating to my sister) I mean't everyday, not everyone. English is my third language, and I apologize for it. Sorry.
This is Joyce. I can only imagine the feeling of panic that went through your body. I am so glad your son is safe. We will keep him in our thoughts.
It could also be a scam. You did well.
Oh my gosh...I so connect with your comments on "The wrong number" my daughter is in Afghanistan - with the Army - in a dangerous place where the night before was receiving incoming fire....I called her cell last night and got some one speaking Arab (I thought) I kept asking for my daughter and called back several times to get the same thing over and over...I thought she was captured and I totally freaked out. After about 2 hours of calling and staying up all night I finally reached her and she was totally shocked to hear me so upset on the other side. She never even heard her phone ring. When I called my cell phone company they said it was a common problem because of the poor lines in that country. In fact the person I talked to from Sprint had a similar experience with his son in Iraq. The phone lines mix up and no telling who you get. It was a wake up call for me to live for every moment. I literally fell on my knees and thanked God when I heard her voice on the other end. An experience I will not soon forget.
were relieved after a few minutes. How scarey that must have been not to reach your daughter!
Yes, we need to cherish every moment! I always tell my children: "We don't know how or when we are going to die. The only thing we can control is how we live!
Thank you rickisom for your comments. It was scary - everyday she is there I am worried. Pray for all our military who are protecting our freedoms. Bless you and your children.
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