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December 07, 2004
Drama on Pico
Walking along Pico Boulevard, a main thoroughfare here in Los Angeles, I recall the many times that Ariel and I used to walk this stretch together. It was not unusual for us to stop every two minutes to schmooze with friends. There were the people from shul, The Young Israel of Century City, students from Ariel's high school, Yeshiva Gedolah, old classmates from Hillel Hebrew Academy, Ariel's grade school.
About our neighborhood, Pico Robertson, Ariel once astutely observed, "It's like living in a shtetl surrounded by mini malls." There is no place in this world I can walk where Ariel's presence is not felt at my very core.
Now, I hear my name being called. Turning around, I spot a Yeshiva bochur approaching. He looks so much like Ariel. Oh, no, I'm starting to hallucinate. I'm really losing it. Next stop: Lithium. I squint, trying to make out the details but all I see is a black hat, white shirt, dark slacks, the lovely flying tzitzis--Jewish plumage.
Closer, closer, of course it's not Ariel. But who is it?
"Mr. Avrech?"
"Yes?"
"My name is Yossie."
"Nice to meet you Yossie, do I know you?"
"No, not really, but I recognize you from your picture in The Jewish Journal. I just bought your book, The Hebrew Kid and the Apache Maiden."
I breathe a sigh of relief.
"Oh, how nice, thank you."
"And I'm very, very upset."
My stomach lurches a bit. Here it comes, a mussar (ethics) speech about all the things that are morally objectionable about The Hebrew Kid and the Apache Maiden. I gird myself.
"I'm sorry you're upset. What's the problem?"
"Why did X have to die? That was my very favorite character?"
I relax and I smile hugely, which is not really appropriate under the circumstances. I thank the Yeshiva bochur again and then explain why this specific character has to die. I talk about character development; I discuss how drama builds and then pays off in specific ways with different characters. I explain that various characters serve different dramatic needs. But his eyes are glazing over. And I realize that this is not the time for a lecture on theories of drama, but the time for human empathy. Yossie was so fond of this character and by killing this character I have wounded something in him. It occurs to me that the power of our stories is greater than we imagine.
"Is there any way you can bring X back to life, Mr. Avrech?"
"Maybe when the Moshiach (The Messiah) comes," I reply.
Yossie smiles. He likes this answer.
"By the way, I hear about your son, about Ariel, all the time in Beis Midrash (study hall). He is a true role model for all of us."
I want to hug Yossie. But of course I don't. It would not be appropriate, not here on Pico.
Yossie walks off, on his way to Beis Midrash to study Talmud.
I am happy.
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at December 7, 2004 04:03 AM
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