Monday, June 30, 2008

To Dizengoff - לדזנגף or To Facebook - לפסבק ?...That is the question!

I just watched the first episodes of סרוגים 'knitted' the new Israeli sitcom literally about living on my street. I am scared now to go outside just in case I get caught on film. Check it out at http://yes.walla.co.il/?w=1/7531
With all the cliche's about what it's like to live in this area, people tend to put you in a box. A friend wanted to set me up with a guy who lives in Tel-Aviv. Israeli. He calls me today to break up with me before we even started going out. It's quite impressive really.
He starts with:
"Look I live in Tel-Aviv..." and ends with "Oh I just started going out with someone but I'll call you if it doesn't work out..."
I recently bought a fun coffee table book on Israeli idioms and what they really mean.
I think what he means to say is:
"You are from Jerusalem. I'm pretty sure that you cover your elbows and that you don't have a tan line because I live in Tel Aviv on the beach and anyone who doesn't live where I live can't possibly go to the beach. It is impossible for me to open up my little head to entertain the possibility that anything could ever happen between us, so let me just give you an excuse so I can tell my friend that I called you but it didn't work out."

It's all about how you conjugate verbs. I'm still in Ulpan, it still takes up copious amounts of my time. It's so wonderful though that I have a way to express myself and tell this following story in more than one language, for now though I will suffice with English.

A few weeks ago a guy who I know from Sydney, who I originally met because I used to go out with a friend of his 10 years ago added me as a friend on facebook. I can't remember the last time I had a conversation with him but I thought, whatever it's not going to kill me to be his friend on facebook, so I accepted him.

The next week I get a message from him:
"Hi Gila, are you still in Israel? I Am coming there for a holiday and it would be great to catch up!"
The friendly person that I am, I wrote back and said "Sure, why not!". Ok so I really don't have much to say to this guy, but if he's here all the way from Australia and wants to hang out then why not?
The next week a phonecall from London:
" Hi Gila, I'm coming to Israel tomorrow and I don't have anywhere to stay and all the hotels in tel aviv are booked"
Do I really believe this bullshit?
The next day he is my house and the first thing he said to me was:
"Can I use your washing machine?"
He took me out for dinner to say thanks and he wanted to talk about my ex from 10 years ago...because that is the only thing we have in common...the ex who is now married...who I am friendly with...but not much in contact...because in the past 10 years...I guess stuff happened like I moved countries...

So how long is he staying? Who knows? Is he around for Shabbat? I can't get a straight answer, so instead I ask my friends is he can join for meals and they very kindly agree. I let him know and he is thankful. 4pm Friday fternoon, he let's me know that actually he is going to be in Tel-Aviv for Shabbat...so now I have to embarrassingly call my friends to cancel.

Then he doesn't come back.
2 days go by and I don't hear anything.
He has my key.
I wonder when he will return.

Until today I get this message:
"I'm so dumb - I had to come back to London for a medical appointment which is tomorrow. And I forgot I had your key. I'm coming back to Israel later this week. But I don't know if you need the key before then? I am so sorry it was retarded of me to forget. Let me know what I should do, I could look at getting it couriered to you express or something?"

Is this normal behaviour? I don't think so. I am sick of being a nice person and getting used. I de-friended him. It's the first person on facebook that I have done that too but I think he deserved it.

So as for the question I choose neither.
Where did all the normal people go?

3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

a) I can't believe how much deeper your blog is than mine

b) Same thing happened to me - being ruled out before meeting the person. It's fascinating that people who live a 45 min drive from each other in Israel think they live on separate continents! Meanwhile, in Australia, people have no qualms about driving between Sydney and Melbourne to date...
בקיצור, I don't think there is anyone normal in Israel.
To compound my problems, I was looking to find an apartment in the Rehavia-Katamon-German Colony area, but if this TV show takes off, prices are going to follow suit....

11:59 PM  
Blogger Wisey said...

De-friending. It's actually vindicating.

Coincidentally, I just performed one myself.

I really think a lot of people just have no social intelligence and don't understand how to interact accordingly.

6:00 AM  
Blogger Wisey said...

Um, I'd like to comment on this doozie:
"בקיצור, I don't think there is anyone normal in Israel."

Let's just pause for a moment and think about that. Normal.
There's a whole array of questions about what normal actually is, but let's leave those out of this.

I burst out laughing when I read the line. And a real deep belly laugh so thanks for that.

All I can say is wake up. It's so rare to find people of quality ilk. Most people are fuckwits. So when you find the quality, Gila is one, stick to it.

3:57 PM  

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