When Anger Doesn’t Work: Part 2

by Jerry Waxman

To recap: There was a day like any other day that was meant to go well. 1)I was to go to a school and get a job. 2)I was to settle things with the rav who owns the kollel where I have been working – and that settlement would mean my getting paid in some way for work I’ve done, and an agreement on what I’d be doing in the future. 3) I was to get started on a project with my Bnei Menashe friends. Everything was supposed to go right.

While the early morning looked promising, the less early morning was a reminder of everything I needed to get away from. There was constant banging and buzzing from construction in neighbors’ rooms. There was a stench coming from an outdoor sewage problem. And my roommate – with his brand of hygiene – was ever-present.

In mid-morning I went to the school, and the security guard told me to come back at 3:30 pm. [End of Recap]

In the interest of realism, I think I’ll just list everything that happened, and save the commentary for the end.

After walking away from the school, I called the rav of the kollel and asked if I could meet with him then. The rav was too busy and told me to come to him at 2:00.

By coincidence, Pe-er, my Bnei Menashe friend called me. He wanted me to check some problem he was having with his computer. I wanted to talk with him about a project I had in mind. We agreed to meet at the shuk in about an hour.

I went to the shuk, and didn’t see Pe-er. Prices at the shuk seemed higher than last week, but I found a deal on some fruit. And took it home. While at the shuk, I talked with a man selling bread. I asked him if he had something that tasted bad for my friend. He laughed, and it was the second time that day that I noticed I was letting a roommate occupy my thinking – a sign of deep resentment and frustration.

Pe-er called while I was at home, and by coincidence he was right outside. So we walked to his place, about 2 km away.

I talked with Pe-er about the project I had in mind. He said it sounded good, but he didn’t seem to have any energy to put into it. I spent some time on his computer trying to figure out a problem with Yahoo. In the end I was not able to help him resolve the problem.

Results: All that walking, and all that time spent on the computer, and nothing accomplished.

Went to the rav at 2:00 pm. As usual, I started off with an idea I had for bringing money to the kollel while giving some Bnei Menashe folks a chance to work and learn and make money also. Now the rav had just spent some 20 minutes yelling at someone. So when he laughed when I proposed the Bnei Menashe project – well, I guess it took his mind off whatever he was yelling about a few moments before.

End results with the rav: He said he’d get a caravan for me to live in on the grounds of the kollel. Fast forward to the next day – he did nothing about getting a caravan. And his son did nothing about helping me move a refrigerator and other heavy things into the kollel. I decided to fire them both the same day. But of course I haven’t told them.

After seeing the rav, I went to the school. I told the secretary that I wanted to see the director. She took my resume and said I didn’t need to see the director. She gave my resume to someone else — who might call me. . . .

End results of the day: Frustration. ready to jump out of planes.

Well, there is one more saga to get to. This one gets exciting. Don’t miss it.

Tagged with: Anger • Bnei Menashe • Coincidence • Frustration • Future 3 • Hygiene • Kollel • Mid Morning • Neighbors • Rav • Realism • Reminder • Resentment • roommate • Second Time • Security Guard • Sewage Problem • Shuk • Stench • Waxman

Filed under: About Israel • About Sderot • Letters

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