by I J Shur
Chapter 64
The falls sprawled over an area that exceeded one and a half miles. Incredible, unimaginable quantities of water poured from a height of about 260 feet, creating a deafening roar and filling the air with droplets of water.
“Tremendous amounts of water flow over these falls each year,” explained the guide. “The falls are incredibly important to the local people who live here. Each variety of waterfall is included in this crazy assortment of colorful waterfalls, and the human eye finds it difficult to process everything it sees. There are waterfalls that are very narrow but tall, and some are wide with water that moves at its own tempo. There are those that fall in a thin drizzle and from a great height onto the boulders that lie below, and there are those that fall as a thin, wide, watery curtain over the entire river. There are those that fall onto trees and branches that have grown from the banks of the river, and there are those that fall as a quick-moving, merciless, amorphous whirlpool. The locals have developed, over hundreds of years, paths narrow and wide. Some are laid out on the ground, and some are made of wooden planks.”
Udi couldn’t believe his eyes. The beauty of the place took his breath away, but even that could not lift his spirits, which were still languishing with thoughts of Rona and all the reasons for loving her that he had given Yinon the day before.
A thought flashed through his mind. If only I could catch one waterfall, jump into it, and float down to the raging waters below, that would probably be an experience that I couldn’t put into words. Maybe they need to invent a clear plastic sphere that Rona and I could fit inside. We’d be tied in with a seatbelt, and we’d hang on to special safety handles. The sphere would be sealed, and we’d free fall the length of the waterfalls until we reached the calm waters of the Iguaçu River. The sphere would continue to float until it was picked up by boats that took us back.
Udi stood next to Yinon and gazed ahead while firmly in the grip of his daydream.
“You stand in front of this incredible power and realize that God has totally cut Himself off from humanity. He’s taken a subcontractor by the name of Nature and sent him here in order to implement various projects that humanity would never be able to carry out.”
Yinon smiled with understanding. “Or even try to comprehend where to begin, or how to put them together,” he added.
After walking for a few minutes, the group reached a large wooden platform that floated on the water. It had a railing made of round, wooden planks. The guide raised her green umbrella high in the air, making sure everyone wore a poncho. Next, she asked everyone to place loose objects in their bags or in their pockets. She invited the group to take a peek at a waterfall that became visible once they walked around a huge boulder. That waterfall was named “The Devil’s Throat,” and it was right in front of them. The sheer amount of water that flowed into the river and onto the rocks that lined the banks was incalculable and landed with the sound of a jet plane. It created huge clouds of droplets that evaporated and became mist, soaking anyone who stood too close.
Yinon screamed with excitement as they stood on the platform. Udi looked at him out of the corner of his eye and wondered what his own emotions were.
On the way back to the bus, Yinon and Udi congratulated each other on insisting on this trip, which would undoubtedly be etched into their memories forever.
Chapter 65
They spent the remaining hours before their flight in the outdoor Jacuzzi on the deck of their Buenos Aires hotel. The hot tub was situated in the southwestern corner of the hotel complex. They were very comfortable sitting there, and due to the evening hour, there was nobody around, so they got in naked, spread their legs out, and closed their eyes. Their bodies stayed in the bubbling waters, but their minds conjured memories of the falls and—for Udi—Rona. As they prepared to leave, a woman of quite large proportions approached the Jacuzzi accompanied by two young women who appeared to be her daughters. The woman wore a dress made of a delicate, light-blue fabric that had many holes in it, revealing a white bathing suit underneath. The daughters were dressed in the height of fashion.
The mother addressed Yinon and Udi and rattled off a quick question in Spanish. Yinon signaled and said in English that they did not understand Spanish. One of the daughters quickly asked, in heavily accented English, if Yinon and Udi would mind if they went into the Jacuzzi naked since they hadn’t brought bathing suits.
Yinon was quick to say that they should feel right at home, and he even offered to leave the Jacuzzi, but the girls had undressed as quickly as a magician might escape from a straightjacket on the way to another Guinness World Record. Before Udi and Yinon had an opportunity to admire their virgin nakedness, the sisters had jumped into the Jacuzzi like two shimmering nymphs, their images swallowed up by the relaxing waves in the bubbling tub.
The mother slowly removed her dress and undergarments, carefully folding the underpants and setting them to the side. With thick, trembling legs, she lowered herself onto the outer bench of the Jacuzzi. The open display of simple and transparent nudity, totally natural, gave Udi the courage to ask if it would bother them if he and Yinon too were naked. The three, who were already deep in conversation, nodded as if giving the waiter permission to refill their water glasses. The mother reminded Udi of the painting Diana by Renoir. Her soft stomach spilled downward and covered her bushy genitals, and her large breasts drooped and virtually covered her entire belly. Woman in every meaning of the word!
It was apparent that she was comfortable in her body, something that Udi had never felt in his life. Seeing her, he finally did, and was confident walking out of the Jacuzzi naked. Yinon stayed in the water for another long moment, stealing glances at the mother and her daughters. When he got out, he wrapped a towel around himself. “Shall we go?” asked Yinon, who seemed hurt by the women’s disinterest.
Udi felt that they were busy with their own business but were most definitely aware of the men’s presence. He asked if he could kiss them goodbye. The three offered him their cheeks. The mother, in a moment of humor, moved her lips and kissed Udi passionately, an act which excited him greatly. He placed his hands on his heart and knelt down on one knee.
“Vamos! Vamos!” she called after him. Udi blew a kiss in the air before the men went to their room. Udi shook his head in wonder. What had just happened?
Later, he lay on his back and tried to fall asleep while Yinon leafed through a local newspaper. Udi’s head was filled with thoughts, and he said aloud, “I have a wife at home whom I haven’t spoken to for two days. I know where the conversations with her will lead, so I don’t bother to initiate them, but why doesn’t she call?” Suddenly he was filled with rage. “She couldn’t care less about me. If I didn’t call for a week, it wouldn’t bother her at all. I wonder if I ever even enter her thoughts. I wonder what she thinks about me, when she does at all. What does she want from me? Maybe she doesn’t want anything. Maybe she’s given up on me. Who is the guilty party?” Then he said, “I’m actually the one who gave up on her and became tantalized by a crazy romance, but maybe she gave up on me before that and created the vacuum that sucked me into that affair.”
His heart pounded, and he was gripped by an uncontrollable anger. “Why don’t I deserve to be loved? Why don’t I deserve a hug from my wife when I get home? When was the last time she told me she loved me? When did she come close and give me a real, passionate hug?” He got out of bed and started pacing. “When did she last slide her hand down my stomach and whisper in my ear, ‘I want you’?”
Yinon didn’t say a word.
Udi grabbed his cell phone and called Varda.
“Hello?” she answered.
“It’s me,” he said. “How are you doing?”
“I know that it’s you,” was Varda’s response. “I’m good. How are you?”
“I am fine,” he said. “We’re in bed, resting before our flight back to the capital. How
are the kids?”
“Good for you guys,” said Varda. “Why did you call?”
Udi was stunned.
“I wanted to see if anybody missed me. Suddenly that felt important to me.”
“Silly boy! What kind of question is that? That’s what is important to you right now, there in Argentina?”
Udi was silent for a long moment.
“Are you there?” Varda asked.
“I’d be happy to hear that you miss me, that you’re interested in me. How are you feeling? Do the children ask about me? Do you talk about me?”
“Talk to them, ask them, tell them about your adventures there. They will undoubtedly be very interested in hearing about it, but I need to be brief—I need to get up already. I have a long day ahead of me. I’m glad that you’re enjoying yourself. Send my regards to Yinon.”
“She simply doesn’t give a shit about me,” he said out loud after he hung up. “I’d love to know how she’s feeling about that conversation. I have a feeling that she’s totally given up on us as a couple.” His breath quickened.
“Are you okay?” asked Yinon. “All of a sudden Varda is bothering you? How about Rona? Do you realize what she is going through?”
Udi took a deep breath, as if he were about to say something, but his ringing cell phone interrupted his thoughts. His mother was on the line.
“It took me so long to find you,” she complained. “Where are you? Still in South America?”
Udi wanted to reply, but his mother carried on. “It’s about your father.”
“What’s happening with him?” Udi cut her off.
“The situation is bad,” she said softly. “He’s in bed all day long, stares at the ceiling, hardly says a word. It’s hard for him to walk, and he’s lost a lot of weight. I don’t know what he has, and it isn’t important. He’s sick, and it’s finishing him off. I’d be glad if you could come back quickly so that maybe you can get him to talk. He doesn’t talk to me anymore.”
“He doesn’t want to talk, or it’s hard for him?” Udi asked.
“I have the feeling that a different part of his brain is shutting off every day. He’s with us less and less. It makes me very sad. He’s not the man that I know. We’ve been together for many years, and I don’t want to lose him. It’s really hard for me. So when are you coming back?”
An involuntary shudder passed through Udi’s body and grabbed hold of his shoulders. His eyes welled with tears.
Chapter 66
They arrived in Buenos Aires after a red-eye flight. Short and stocky Rosanna welcomed them back to the hotel with a broad smile and tried to answer all of their questions about the city. After about an hour of discussion, they decided to spend their last day in the city of “good air” watching the local team, River Plate, play a soccer match in the Monumental Stadium. Afterward, they planned to go to a good restaurant, “La Cabrera,” which had been recommended to them many times. Udi couldn’t wait for the moment they were seated there. Udi asked Yinon to make a reservation, but Yinon thumped Udi’s back and said, “Don’t worry, we’ll be fine!” It was a short sentence that implied he didn’t want to deal with that now—any problems that arose would be dealt with later.
The weather improved, and their seats offered a wonderful panoramic view of the stadium and the pitch. Fifty thousand fans were crammed into the stands, and they created a deafening roar. Yinon, who knew a thing or two about soccer, tried to say something every once in a while, but Udi couldn’t hear a single word. The game, like the last one they had attended, ended in a disappointing zero-zero tie.
“I really hope that there are tables available at the restaurant since we didn’t make reservations.” Udi’s grumpiness was inspired by his grumbling belly.
“You could have made a reservation,” Yinon replied angrily. “Nobody was stopping you…”
Udi decided not to reply, and the journey to the restaurant passed in deafening silence.
“La Cabrera,” announced the cab driver as they pulled up in front of the place. They walked quickly to the window and looked inside.
“It’s empty in there,” said Yinon. “Very strange! Well, maybe we didn’t have to make a reservation after all.”
They searched for the entrance. Around the corner, dozens of people thronged waiting in line to get in.
“Well, I guess we should have made a reservation after all,” chuckled Udi, but Yinon was in no mood to be teased.
A young hostess wearing a very short skirt that barely covered her skinny legs stood at the entrance beneath a lit awning. Yinon and Udi made their way through the crowd to ask her for a table. She smiled and asked if they had a reservation.
“No, we don’t,” said Udi, who promptly received an elbow to the gut from Yinon.
“Friends, the restaurant opens in another fifteen minutes, at eight thirty, and I don’t even have a seat at the bar.” She fell silent, preparing to hear them beg.
“We came here specially to try this restaurant. We received so many recommendations, and tomorrow we’re flying home,” Yinon said, fully realizing the situation that they found themselves in.
The hostess was sympathetic. She told them about a bar that was a bit further down the street and sent them to sample the local beers. “Come back here in half an hour,” she said.
“Is there a chance we’ll get a table?” asked Udi, wishing they could just go back to the hotel so he could send another text to Rona.
The hostess shrugged. “We’ll meet in another half hour, and we’ll see.” People gathered around the entrance, and the chance of finding a spot did not look good.
At the bar, they sat at a small wooden table and drank a local cocktail and a bottle of Quilmes, the local brew.
A young Indian woman, dressed in traditional clothing, approached them. Her hair was braided into a thick ponytail that trailed down her back. She wore a shirt made of a thick cloth and decorated in bright shades of red. On her hips rested a wide pair of green pants, and her dark feet were squashed into leather shoes whose laces were tied in colorful knots. Yinon looked at her with interest and whispered to Udi, “I really fancy a piece of that!”
Udi looked at him in disgust, his heart a million miles away.
The young woman said, “Allow me to introduce you to my mother. We’re here to serve you.”
“What are the odds that we find a table at La Cabrera?” Yinon asked her, impatiently. An embarrassed smile crept onto her face, revealing rows of white teeth that made it clear to Yinon that he and Udi would have to sit patiently.
“You can get as many smiles from her as you like,” said Udi to Yinon, “but I don’t think that she has any idea at all.”
The half hour passed tensely. Udi wanted to go back to the restaurant, but to his surprise, Yinon wanted to find a different one. “The restaurant hasn’t yet been born that will make me wait half an hour and even then not guarantee me a place,” Yinon said angrily.
“So first let’s see if we have a spot here or not. If we don’t, then we can look for another place,” Udi said. “Is that okay? That’s what we agreed on.”
“I’m not going back there,” declared Yinon.
Udi stood across from him and couldn’t believe it. “What do you want me to do now, leave you here and go into the restaurant?”
“As far as I’m concerned, you can go there if you want, and you can stop taking out your misery over Rona on me!” said Yinon.
“So wait for me,” said Udi. The line at the restaurant had shrunk, and through the windows, Udi saw that it was full of diners sitting at the tables and waiters walking around serving them, like bees swarming around the queen to win her favors. At the entrance stood the girl whom they had spoken with earlier. When she noticed Udi, her face lit up, and she invited him to enter. Udi turned and was surprised to find Yinon standing next to him.
“I
prepared a really good speech to convince her to let us in. How did you do it?” asked Yinon, trying to reduce the tension he’d created.
“I smiled at her,” said Udi.
An extremely thin waiter greeted them with an ear-to-ear smile. A long, thin moustache in the style of Salvador Dali’s filled in the narrow space between his upper lip and his nose.
“My name is Alberto,” he said in broken English, indicating that he would not be able to say any more unless it was in Spanish, and he handed them menus. Another waiter arrived holding a pitcher of cold water and two glasses. Every attempt to get the waiter to help them in their deliberations ended in confusion. Yinon recognized a few words from the menu and declared that they would try the chorizos.
Udi took a few more moments and recognized the words “800 grams” next to the Bife de Lomo, and he pointed to that item on the menu. Just before the waiter headed off, Yinon was dismayed to think that they might not have ordered enough food, so they also added a vegetable salad.
“Are you sure that we’ll manage with all of this food?” Udi asked.
“I think that we’ll be fine,” Yinon replied. “If we don’t manage to finish, we can ask them to pack it up and we’ll take it back to the hotel.”
“Why take food back with us if we can just order less?” asked Udi.
“It’s a joke. I’m teasing you. Relax.” Yinon leaned back in his seat and smiled. “So what? We watched some boring football, we didn’t make a reservation, and we may have ordered too much food, but really, what happened? We’re on vacation and we’re going home soon, back to our orderly lives, so let’s just let go a little.”
Udi tried to smile, suddenly feeling ridiculous. Why was he fighting with Yinon? His cousin was right. He needed to go with the flow; he needed to enjoy himself.