And...

By Laurice Rahi

“So why are we going hunting?” wondered Adib.
“We’ll go jogging and we’ll do some sports,” said Khalid and then he continued:
“Are you going with us, Camela?”
“Girls don’t go hunting,” said Naim.
“And why not? I know some girl shooters who are better than men,” said Adib.
“I don’t go hunting without a gun,” responded Camela.
“Aren’t you scared of birds with blood dripping off them? asked Khalil.
“I am not a hunting dog,” answered Camela.
“Which means? asked Khalil.
“I’m either a hunter like you, or I stay at home!” said Camela.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Laurice Rahi
• Release date: Jul 16, 2014
• ISBN: 9786050313208

Book preview

life

Preface

In 2009 my son said to me for the first time:

Mom, I am upset with you because you haven’t written me anything yet!

I replied: I will offer you a special text on your 12th birthday.

What shall I write for the eleven-year- and a few months- old boy? What dilemma has my son put me in? What dilemma have I put myself in? I would like to respect his age – the beginning of teenage years – to respect his thought, his physical development, his emotional and social growth and to make him enjoy reading before everything else.

And on his twelfth birthday I said to him:

I am sorry, but I couldn’t present you with the text I promised you. Surely enough you’ll have one on your 13th birthday.

And on his 13th birthday I said:

I have to apologize, for I couldn’t finish the text I promised you to write.

On his 14th birthday I finished my writing with great joy and awaited his reaction and opinion as someone who’s just had a dream and thought it would bring him good luck.

On his 15th birthday the manuscript became a book he received after I changed the title I had given it to the current title that he suggested…

Laurice Rahi

I

And…

The house sat leaning on its elbow and looked far into the distance. He’s waiting for his owners who come to visit during their school vacations, especially that it’s been a while since he could hear the sound of the village school bell, which rang more than five times during the same day.

The house turns left and right, finding nothing in front of him except for the road that leads to the spring and the orchards beyond, and finding nothing behind him but for the broad plain with its long withering grass. In the middle of the plain a donkey was tied with a rope which his owner often extended so it could get closer to the grape orchards, eat from them and sit in their shade.

When the house owners used to live permanently in the village, the house wasn’t interested in watching the animals because he was always busy, hardly recognizing day from night. Even the animals kept at the barn never caught his attention, except when the cow gave