The Broadcast

by Liam Fialkov

  “The attackers were motivated by feverish religious belief,” the professor answered. “The Ottomans had huge cannons,” he continued while curling his mustache, “that fired half-a-ton shells, which opened wide gaps in the wall of the city and exhausted its defenders.”

  And indeed, in the film, viewers could observe the massive cannons and their lethal impact.

  “After the victory,” the professor continued, “the Ottomans decapitated the Byzantine emperor, looted the city, and converted the church, Hagia Sophia, which was the largest building in the world, into a mosque. Later, the Ottomans treated the Christians with moderation and granted them religious autonomy, though they had to pay a tax that was imposed on anyone who was not Muslim.”

  Professor Sankar said that as a result of the defeat, the leadership of the eastern section of Christianity had moved to Moscow. He wanted to continue and explain the economic and strategic consequences of controlling the city that dominated the Bosphorus waterway, but the host intervened, apologizing, saying the hour of the show had ended.

  In a critique published in the Washington Post, culture reviewer Gerald Brooks wrote: The Broadcast focuses on wars in the Western world. It neglects non-belligerent events, and it doesn’t show occurrences from other parts of the world. From watching the show,” Mr. Brooks wrote, “one might get the impression that in China, Japan, Africa, and America, before the arrival of the white man, there were no significant events, but only in Europe.”

  The Washington Post also published an article by human rights activist, Pamela McKenzie, who attacked the program because of its invasion of privacy. “With all due respect,” McKenzie wrote, “they have managed to solve a number of police cases, and put despicable criminals in jail, but isn’t it time that we turn our thoughts to human rights issues? What about innocent people who can no longer know when somebody is filming them without their consent?”

  In an episode dedicated to the thirteenth century, The Broadcast invited Professor Ankjargal from the University of Mongolia in the city of Ulaanbaatar. The professor fascinated viewers with stories and short films of Genghis Khan.

  “Genghis Khan is considered to be one of the greatest conquerors of all times,” the guest said. The Mongolian professor was a short man who had a typical Chinese appearance. “At the beginning of the thirteenth century, Genghis Khan unified all the Mongolian tribes under his rule, and later he became the leader of the Mongolian Empire, which at its height, held the largest contiguous territory in history, from China to the Caspian Sea.”

  “Is the myth of Genghis Khan’s cruelty based on facts?” Susan Riley, asked.

  “Since his childhood, Genghis Khan was exposed to the brutality that characterized the culture in which he grew up,” the professor answered. “And later, he and his warriors became a symbol of uncompromising malice. They were fierce fighters who traveled on their horses and left horror and destruction every place they passed. It is possible that they used extreme cruelty and massacres as a form of psychological warfare. However, I think that there is hypocrisy in the attitude of more modern and advanced civilizations, which portray the Mongolians as especially cruel. As we know, in the twentieth century, chemical weapons and napalm bombing were used. During World War II, whole cities were bombed from the air without discriminating between soldiers and noncombatants, and two atom bombs were dropped on civilian cities. In fact, most cultures are guilty of horrible and inconceivable actions. So it seems to me that the human spirit, which can reach incredible achievements, is also capable of diving into abysses of hatred and darkness.”

  The professor continued and said that Genghis Kahn is considered to be the founder of modern warfare doctrine. He developed fighting strategies during his conquest journeys, founded elite units, medical units, and was the first to promote officers based on their skills and not just by their family status.

  The professor showed films documenting the Mongols’ invasion of the Khwārezmian Empire (Persia) in the year 1219. Genghis Khan had split his massive army into three large forces. The mission of one force was to catch and kill the Shah, while the other forces confronted and defeated the Persian army and destroyed the country. By watching the films, viewers could observe the Mongolians fighting system, which was comprised of units of ten troopers, six of them were light cavalry horse archers, and the remaining four were heavily armored lancers.

  “Professor,” the host said, “I understand that this is your first visit to the United States.”

  “It’s true,” the professor acknowledged, “I’ve spent two years in England, where I acquired the English language, but this is my first visit to your vast and interesting country.”

  “I would like to thank you for coming all the way from Mongolia to be with us this evening,” the host smiled at him, “and I wish you a beneficial visit in our country.”

  Chapter 38

  Jonathan

  The two brothers, Walter and Jonathan, were distant to one another during many years. They lived on the two opposite sides of the continent; Walter in the east, and Jonathan in the west. But the distance between them was not only geographical.

  Jonathan, who was two years younger than Walter, had to live with the troubling feeling that his big brother blamed him for the tragic accident in which their parents were killed, although Walter, even when he was a little child, had never verbalized such an accusation. Perhaps Jonathan felt that Walter, as a child, was bearing a grudge against him because Jonathan was with them in their last moments, while he didn’t get to say goodbye.

  After the death of their grandmother, when they were separately taken to foster homes, Walter was lucky, while Jonathan, who was shuffled from one foster home to another, waited in vain, hoping his brother would come to his rescue. But he agonized as he realized that the years passed and no word came from his big brother.

  Sarah pleaded with her husband, on more than one occasion, to initiate a connection with his brother, his only blood relative on Earth; but Jonathan was deterred, probably because he feared rejection.

  And then, all at once, the relationship between the two brothers thawed. Sarah recalled that it happened a short time before Walter aired his sensational broadcast, which documented the murder of Pedro Gonzales’ ex-wife. Walter came to their house for a surprise visit, and the two brothers spent hours together, getting to know each other once again, and catching up on the thirty years when there was a cut off in their connection.

  ***

  Walter called and invited Jonathan to come and spend Thanksgiving with him, and meet his family.

  It’d been a long time since Jonathan had been aboard an airplane. He also tried not to go far in his car, and when he only thought about long drives, he experienced irrational panic. He used to feel quite safe on drives within a certain range, which included San Francisco; but he did his best to avoid longer journeys.

  When Walter called, he immediately accepted the invitation, and only after the call ended did the fear start to infiltrate him. Nevertheless, he remained determined, didn’t yield to his anxiety, and he did not intend to miss meeting his brother and getting to know his family.

  Sarah, who was aware of the hardship he faced without him having to explain, had willingly agreed to drive him to the San Francisco airport. Ever since she had gone through the intense experience on the bridge, when she almost threw herself to her death, she made an effort to look at the good things in her world, and to see the glass as half-full. Sarah understood that she must stop fighting the reality of her life, in which she wouldn’t realize her childhood dream: to be a mother. And as for her son, whom she called Daniel, she understood that she must patiently wait for him to search for her, and she hoped that the chance for uniting with him would carry her in her difficult moments.

  She returned to loving and appreciating her husband and avoided all adulterous sexual adventures.

  At the airport, they hugged each other affectionately before separating to continue in their different directio
ns. He chose to sit by the aisle and not next to a window, feeling safer in a place where he could get up and move freely without disturbing those sitting next to him. When the airplane’s engines awoke with a mighty roar, he felt his heart pounding, and worries threatened to overwhelm him. He tried to calm himself with deep breathing and to distract his mind by trying to concentrate on a book he’d brought with him.

  The takeoff was particularly challenging. He was overcome by panic and dizziness, his breathing became shallow, and for a moment, he wondered whether he had made the right decision in accepting his brother’s invitation. But later during the flight he managed to relax, his breathing returned to normal, and he even enjoyed peeking through the window, watching the clouds passing under the plane and the United States far below. It occurred to him that he was glad he was invited for Thanksgiving and not Christmas, because otherwise he would have to bring presents, and he never knew what was expected of him.

  He remembered Kathy, his girlfriend after high school. The two of them had fallen madly in love and tried to give each other the warmth and love that they didn’t have in most of their childhood. Kathy loved uninhibited sex, and she also liked to have sex while under the influence of drugs. Jonathan never tried drugs, not even marijuana, because he worried about losing control and from the demons that might be released out of him. Kathy had been sexually abused in her childhood and early teens. She didn’t think that she could be a decent mother, and didn’t want to bring kids into the world. Jonathan wanted differently; he dreamt of being a good father and bestowing his kids with everything that he didn’t have.

  They got married at a young age, but after two years of endless quarrels and disagreements, they got divorced and went their separate ways. Kathy did not delay for long. She moved to Los Angeles, where she met another man, became pregnant, and gave birth to a baby girl. Jonathan was left with a broken heart.

  At the airport in New York, he looked for his brother. He saw a signboard with his name, Jonathan Lishinsky, held by a charming young lady.

  “Hello,” he said as he approached her, “I’m Jonathan. Were you sent here by Walter?”

  She examined him with playful eyes. “You are my uncle,” she said and extended her hand. “I am Carolyn, Walter’s daughter; my parents are busy, so I volunteered to come and get you because I like to drive.

  Jonathan was glad to meet such a cute niece. In the car, she turned on the radio and played annoying music at loud volume.

  “How long are you here for?” she had to yell to overcome the volume of the music.

  “Just for a few days!” he yelled back. “For Thanksgiving and to meet the family!”

  “Cool!” she yelled, and sang a song he’d never heard along with the radio, while driving at high speed.

  “Could you turn down the music?” he yelled, and she immediately responded, turning down the music until it was barely heard.

  He breathed with relief.

  “Sorry,” she said. “It’s a really great music; I thought you’d like it.”

  “Perhaps if I was younger,” he said. “Do you go to school?” he inquired.

  “I just finished high school, but I didn’t start going to the university yet. And what do you do?

  “Right now I’m unemployed,” he honestly acknowledged. “I got laid off from my work as a computer technician.”

  “That’s not so bad,” the young lady said. “You’re sure to find something more interesting.”

  Sitting next to her, he felt old and cumbersome, and he assumed that that’s how she saw him. He realized that he hardly had any connections with people her age, which was why he was not aware of the fact that with the passing years, he was growing old.

  The car left the hectic city, and when they arrived at Scarsdale, Jonathan saw that the green lawns and spacious parks imparted a better feeling on him. He was received by his brother with a welcoming hug and a pat on the back. Walter then, introduced him to his wife, who said she was glad to finally meet him. Monica was busy cooking for the holiday, which would take place the next day, so his brother took him to the room that was assigned for him, where he left his suitcase. Before supper, Jonathan phoned Sarah and said that the flight went well; Sarah was in the midst of preparations for the holiday along with her friend Heidi.

  During the evening meal, he felt somewhat awkward and foreign, despite the family’s efforts to make him feel at home.

  After the meal, the two brothers sat by the fireplace and talked.

  “Tell me,” Jonathan opened, “is it possible that we have a sister that we never knew about?”

  Walter seemed surprised. “Not that I know of,” he answered. “Why do you ask?”

  “I met someone on the internet,” Jonathan said, “and we’ve found a few similarities between her father and ours; for instance, her father was killed in a car accident in the same year that our parents died, and he was also Jewish.”

  “Well,” Walter responded. “But it still seems like a very remote chance.”

  “We think in a similar way,” Jonathan continued, “and we have the same areas of interest. She teaches computers at a university in Minnesota.”

  “I remember that years ago,” Walter said, “Grandma mentioned that our father had another woman before he met our mother, but she didn’t say anything about children.” It occurred to Walter that his childless brother was lonely, yearning for a family, which was why he was taken by irrational ideas. Walter thought that he should keep a tighter connection with Jonathan and bring him closer to his family.

  Walter and Monica’s older daughter, Melanie, arrived on the following day for the Thanksgiving holiday. With her came her boyfriend, Michael, a handsome young man. Jonathan had the impression that his brother and his wife were very fond of him, treating him like a family member. Walter introduced his brother to his daughter and her mate; he told Jonathan that Michael was a promising television reporter and a talented guitar player. Monica’s sister had also arrived at the holiday meal, along with her husband and three kids, two boys and a girl, energetic, naughty, and noisy.

  At the holiday table, Jonathan once again felt awkward, as he knew that except for him, everyone else had known each other for quite some time. And still, he was more comfortable than when he and Sarah were invited to celebrate with Julie and her family. Over there he always sensed that they were being invited because Julie pitied them for not having children.

  They enjoyed the tasty meal, which had been lovingly prepared. Then Monica suggested that they would go around the table and each person would speak on something that had happened during the past year for which they were feeling thankful.

  Jonathan was familiar with the somewhat ceremonial custom of Thanksgiving, and he had always found it artificial, coerced, and exhausting. But this time he didn’t have difficulty when his turn came, and he said that he was grateful for his new family. Jonathan noticed that Michael said similar things.

  The following day was Black Friday. Jonathan accompanied Walter, who went shopping for Christmas. Walter said that he is not crazy about the tradition, by which he was required to think about what to buy for different relatives, but he understood that this was part of being a family man.

  Saturday was Jonathan’s last visiting day. He was invited to join the band, which gathered in the shed behind the house. Jonathan wasn’t a musician, perhaps because he never had the opportunity to learn a musical instrument; but he liked listening to music, and like his brother, he loved old songs from the sixties and seventies of the previous century.

  Jonathan met Walter’s good friends who played in his band. The members of the group were friendly toward him, and he sat and enjoyed their performance, which was quite professional. He especially enjoyed Michael’s solo guitar sections. There was something unique and unusual about the serious-looking young man. Jonathan looked at Michael’s face and thought that it conveyed an inner wisdom, and he didn’t know why Michael looked familiar, despite the fact that they had never
met before.

  Chapter 39

  Sarah

  Sarah celebrated Thanksgiving on her land with her new friends, the people of the small community that came to live on her property. Her sister Julie, who called to invite her to celebrate at her house, as she did every year, was surprised when Sarah said that this year she wouldn’t come to San Francisco. Sarah heralded her intent to spend the holiday in her house and on her land, along with her neighbors, the people of her trailer community. “You are invited to come,” Sarah said, and Julie noticed the joyfulness in her voice. But Julie couldn’t change her plans because she had already invited guests, from her husband’s family.

  “Is Jonathan pleased with the development, and wants to celebrate at your place?” Julie inquired, remembering Jonathan as a somewhat withdrawn person.

  “He’s not going to be with us,” Sarah answered, “because he was invited to visit his brother in New York.”

  The weather in the latter part of November was pleasant, and an autumn sun had softly warmed the land. They set a long table outside the house, next to Sarah’s vegetable garden. Residents of the trailers, mostly the women, had invested time and effort and prepared many dishes, mostly vegetarian, and baked desserts like pumpkin and pecan pies.

  The atmosphere was festive, and Sarah had the impression that everyone enjoyed the special gathering out in the open air. She was grateful for the friendship and brotherhood that she sensed among the participants. The children behaved quite well and didn’t run wild as they tended to do every once in a while, when their parents’ attention was not dedicated to them.

  After they had enjoyed the food, they proceeded to the custom that is common in many homes in the US, in which everyone can have the opportunity to give thanks for the good things that had happened during the past year. Like her husband, Sarah didn’t like the practice, and in previous years she felt like it was imposed on her. This time she didn’t have difficulty. She said that she was thankful for having new friends living on the land with her. She took a pause and added, “I’m grateful for being alive,” and she nodded slightly toward Heidi.