She has always loved thistle, its dainty flowers and thorny stem. That’s a real man right there, she laughed. Rough on the outside, soft and tender inside.
That’s why she called Avi a thistle: normally pretty glum, he would be funny and silly around her, and even tried to write her a poem once. You thorn in my butt, she laughed, I love you even without the po-ems!
They were drafted at the same time, so they had their farewell party together. It lasted almost till the dawn, and after everyone fell asleep on the beds and the couches, Avi pulled her by the hand: come on, let’s go up there one more time before we leave!
It was their own secret place in the mountains, at the very top. The whole world was down there, at their feet, and they were like birds hovering above.
And the wild mountain thistle was blooming just for them.
They would be stationed in different places. Ally was devastated upon learning she was to stay at the Go-lan Heights, while he was being sent south, to Sderot.
“Don’t you dare risk your life! And don’t you go under the rockets, do you hear me?” – She kept repeat-ing senselessly, pulling at her curls and holding back tears.
“Don’t worry” – He dismissed her. “I’ll be pushing papers in the office, I promise”.
Pushing papers, yeah, right… Because that’s what they do in armoured corps.
And on the mountain top, he begged her with a sudden heartache, realizing right away what nonsense he’s talking: “Ally, my Ally, please promise me – if something starts here, please don’t try to be a hero, tell them that you are sick, nauseous, tell them you are pregnant so they don’t send you anywhere danger-ous. Please, I’m begging you!”
She held him tight.
“It’s fine” – She whispered, “We will see each other soon, everything is going to be fine”.
Translated by Diana Shnaiderman-Pereira