The Death of Jesus

The Death of Jesus by J.M. Coetzee
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Actually I read a full trilogy - The Childhood of Jesus, The Schooldays of Jesus and The Death of Jesus.
Very disappointing reading.
I suppose I was lured by the name Jesus in the title, I read trying to find some connection with the central figure of Christian religion. I found none. In some way I consider using this name as a fraud.
What is book about?
Refugees from unknown country land in another unknown country where they are treated in a benevolent but politically correct an unemotional way.
They are treated as a family, which they are not and the boy - David - mentions it on every occasion.
David does not fit into a school environment, he prefers some experimental ballet or playing soccer with orphanage kids.
At some stage I got a hint that the author might have been inspired by apocrypha written by apostle Thomas named also Didimus (Twin).
In this apocrypha Tomas claims that he is a twin brother of Jesus and mentions some miracles , some of them quite ungodly, performed by young Jesus.
Still I do not see any connection with a book.
Sad

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USA 1982 Washington

 It was all night peaceful drive, we arrived in Washington around 5 a.m.

After having some snack and drink we went to the luggage office, produced our tickets.
- Is it your luggage?

- Yes.
- It is impossible, the bus with your luggage will arrive in 2 hours. How come you are already here?
Suspicion sounded in the last question.
There was nothing to do but wait. We felt on us suspicious eyes from the luggage area all the time.

On the other hand we got our own suspicions.
It looked like many of people in the waiting room were homeless or misplaced.
Every few minutes a taxi arrived, quite smartly dressed gentleman got out. He cruised around the waiting room, sometimes sat down for a while and after few minutes was picked up by another taxi.
It was even worse in the male toilet.
From time to time a security man armed with something like a baseball bat entered the toilet with great noise. He ran around the cabins and if the door was not locked, he bang into it with the bat and only then looked carefully inside.

I was not feeling very comfortably. I got some doubts whether it will be safe to board taxi in such a place, but forgot my worries when a bus with our luggage arrived.

We got our luggage, but not without presenting our id documents first and  safely reached our hotel.

Next few days was a kaleidoscope of various exciting places and events.
We noticed a poster that El Greco paintings exhibition is held in the National Gallery of Art.
Too great to miss.
Luckily our children were also impressed.
And there was a reward. At lunchtime we visited the canteen and there some meat was served with rich servings of boiled potatoes and cabbage.
- Like in Poland - said Michael.
- More? - asked the attendant.
- More - confirmed Michael.
Few spoons more and the attendant hesitated...
- More - commanded Michael.
The attendant looked questioningly into our eyes.
- More - was the answer.

Exhibition of dinosaurs, another enjoyable experience...

Then we planned a visit to Smithsonian Institute, but Michael got more sublime preferences.
- What about going again to the El Greco exhibition?

We were surprised and impressed with artistic interest of our children so happily agreed.
Lunch was as satisfactory as the previous day.

Arlington Cemetery...

 Capitol Hill, finally the White House.
We were very touched when we found a statue of Polish national hero - T. Kosciuszko - there.
He was considered one of four most distingueshed generals of the American Independence War...

T. Kosciuszko at the end of his service was awarded massive rural properties. When he was leaving US  going back to Poland, he returned them back to the American government with one condition - free all the slaves employed there.

The irony of current, better informed times, is that during June 2020 riots this statue was vandalized.

Luckily in 1982 we did not look so far in the future, our next step was to travel North, hopefully to Niagara Falls.
I visited the Hertz office to hire a car. they took me to the airport, I found a suitable vehicle and proceeded to the office.
- You will pay by a credit card?

- No, I do not have one, I pay cash.
I noticed confusion on the faces of the clerks.
- But sir, we are not taking cash, it must be a credit card or bank transfer.
- What a joke, you drove me all the way to the airport to tell me this?

Some officials were called in, they took copies of my passport and plane tickets and eventually the transaction was finalised.
Strange,

Previous Post - Florida - Click                  Next Post - Niagara Falls - Click

USA 1982 - Florida

 We flew to Jacksonville with Delta Airlines.
I was very impressed by flexibility of the staff.
The nice person, who checked our tickets and handled our luggage appeared to be also the pilot of the plane.
During the flight he was so friendly that he invited the kids to visit the cockpit..
To great regret of Michael, I did not let him go.
Maybe it was an influence of strict security rules in Poland, but I considered socialising with pilots who perform at that time very responsible duties as quite improper.

Anyway, 2 hours later we landed.
Ken waited for us in the airport and drove us to his family holiday house somewhere in the middle of dense bush.

The place and surrounding exceeded our expectation - dense bush, succulent green vegetation, lake. 
Of course there was a boat which we could paddle around. 

There was however a warning - beware of crocodiles.

As for frequent rains, there were no big trouble - it came always as a relief from humidity, freshened the air for some time. We did not bother to hide from it or to change wet clothes,

After few days Gail brought up a new idea - you can take our car (a small, handy, yellow Renault, and visit Disney World and some other attractions around.
Like St Augustine - added Ken.

It was a great idea.
Orlando - Disney World - great...

We spent 2 days there and enjoyed every minute.
Then Sea World - another great experience.

To return to reality we visited Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Centre there.
For me it was a great experience - touching satellites which were operated by Walter Schirra, whom I remembered for his intervention when automatic control systems failed - CLICK.

Children did not share my enthusiasm.
- There are no buttons we could press.
- Nothing moves, shakes, makes noises.

Well, I could see they did not measure up to space programs.

St Augustine, total change of climate, first encounter with America's history and past times.

On our way I noticed a sign - Daytona Beach.
I associated it with a car race, we were no fans of noisy cars, but beach - yes.
Now I realize it was my only physical contact with Atlantic Ocean.

We returned to Ken's and Gail hospitable home full of memories and with sharpened appetites - time to hit the road.

Bob S. my American friend from Kuwait insisted that we must not miss Washington.
There was an easy connection - direct bus from Jacksonville.

Ken drove us to the Greyhound station, I noticed some concern on his face.
- This is not Greyhound I remember - he said - sorry, I cannot stay with you much longer, but please - keep sharp eye on your luggage.
We did not see much reasons to worry, anyway we will dispatch our luggage in few minutes.

We went to the ticket office - four tickets to Washington.
The teller issued tickets.
- What time is the bus? From which platform?
- Please check on a schedule display.
- And here is our luggage.
- Please take it to the luggage office.

We went to luggage office, they just glimpsed on our tickets and took the luggage.
Now we looked at the schedule.
There was no bus to Washington displayed.
Panic, panic!
I asked some passerby.
- Washington, it must be somewhere on the route to Toronto or New York. Ask the driver.

Sounded very strange, but just some bus arrived - Toronto.
I asked the driver and showed him our tickets.
He nodded with acceptance.

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Judging by the look

 This morning, entering a supermarket, I noticed such announcement...

25?
I was sure that the legal age to buy drinks is 18.
I felt a wave of anger.
Later this year, two of our grandchildren will reach age of 18.
And what?
They will not be allowed to buy a bottle of cognac for their Grandpa?!

I stormed the shop and inquired about the rules.
-The rules did not change, 18 years as before. The reason beyond this notice is that many people under 18 look much older now - answered shop assistant.

Wow... young people are looking 6-8 years older than their actual age.
What a great achievement of medicine, cosmetics and food industries plus freedom in social media.

- And what age I am looking as? - I asked.
- 26 - answered shop assistant after a closer look.
Wisdom and gentleness of Salomon.

USA, summer 1982

 Since January 1981, we - my wife Sylwia, our children Ania (11) and Michael (7) lived in Kuwait...

where I (Lech) worked in Kuwait University Computer Centre...

Summer 1982 was coming and we were faced with a serious problem - where will we spend summer holidays ?

Our native Poland was beyond the question, few months earlier a martial law was introduced by Polish (Communist) government.
Europe?
This looked as an only answer, trouble was, that it was very expensive.
What to do?
Staying in Kuwait all summer was difficult to imagine.

Since June, the favourite place for spending weekends (Thursday and Friday) was Getty Beach.
I do not know why, it was some 80 km car ride, absolute desert. Maybe these were sufficient attractions.

Probably all visitors on the beach were foreign professionals working in Kuwait, maybe it was also a significant factor.
One of those professionals was Ken R. a professor of marine Biology at Kuwait University.
Ken impressed everybody with his sailboarding skills.
Sometimes he brought some fishnets and tried to throw them to the see from the shore. I do not remember any catch.
Anyway, he was always welcome in our small Polish community.
We exchanged visits with Ken and his family - wife Gail and daughter Lara - similar age as our Ania.
Of course we shared with him our dilemma about summer holidays and he came out with surprizing proposal - we have a summer home in Florida, you can come and spend with us some time, it will cost you nothing. I have to warn you - Florida in summer is not a very attractive place - it is hot, very humid and with very frequent rains, but you are welcome.

Humid, rainy and surrounded by a dense green bush - looked quite attractive.
I started preparations.
My contract with Kuwait University provided a free return flight for holidays to the home country or to any place reachable by Kuwait Airways.
US visa...
I submitted an application and mentioned our plans to Bob S. an American, my workmate in the computer centre. He was in regular contact with US Embassy in Kuwait - playing soft ball each weekend.
Few days later he came to me, looked quite worried.
You know, my friend from US Consulate told me  that now, due to martial law in Poland, there are many cases of Poles overstaying their US travel visas. Many of them just disappear without any track.
My friend was instructed to reject tourist visa application by Poles. He will be held personally responsible for any case of overstaying visa issued by him.
- Well, Bob, what can I say?
We are mature people with family used to safe and peaceful life. I cannot imagine spending next few years hiding from authorities, resigning from my secure job, not being sure if our children can attend a good school.
But what sort of guarantee can I give?

Couple of weeks later I got a notification about a visa interview
To our surprize the "interview" was organized in a large room crowded by dozens people.
We all could watch the processing of people waiting in a queue.
Here is a notable case...
Young girl comes to the counter.
- Where from are you? - asked the interviewer.
- From Bangladesh, sir.
- What type of job you have in Kuwait?
- I work as a servant, sir.
- Is it common among Bangladeshi servants to spend holidays in US?
- I don't understand, sir. I got 2 months leave every 3 years so I wanted to visit some nice place.
- Do you have any family in US?
- Yes, sir. I got an uncle in New York, he...
The interviewer looked at the girl a second and then - BANG - he stamped her passport.
- Thank you, sir. Thank you - the girl was speechless with joy.
- This is a stamp of visa refusal - explained the interviewer.
- Refusal? But why, sir?
- Because your family will organize life for you in US and we will never kick you out fro there.
- But, sir... but...

- Next, please!

We were the next.
Visa was stamped without any question.

Our first stop was New York.
Joe, an American of Polish origin, who we met in Kuwai,t booked for us a 2 nights accommodation in a motel, 

Just enough time to get over the jetlag. 
2 days later we landed in Jacksonville.

Next part - Florida - CLICK

MS Walk 2022

 Last Sunday of May, as usual, Australian MS Society organised MS Walk - a beautiful walk (or run) around Albert Lake.
I joined this action some dozen years ago...

So last Sunday..
No, I did not feel fit for it.

Doesn't matter but more important issue was fundraising.
In my best years  managed to raise over $1,000.
During last 2 years, due to Covid there was no event in Albert Park so my fundraising relied on my own contribution plus donations from 3 close friends.
Last year 2 of them died.

So?
I felt shy to advertise my action in wider circle of friends as I am aware that many of them are involved in help to people of Ukraine.

And then an opportunity came... from a BANK.

We had a small fixed term deposit.
Few days before the maturity date a notification came to check options available otherwise deposit will be reinvested on the current terms.
I tried to check, but each time I was getting message - check closer to maturity date.
Day before maturity it was the same.
On the maturity date I got notification that term deposit has been reinvested on previous terms.
Still I tried to see what were the options before that.
This time the button worked, it displayed a message - this deposit cannot be managed online, please visit the nearest branch.

I visited, but it really did not matter, you know what interest rates our banks are offering.
But what about my frustration and wasted time?

The bank was quite conciliatory, we agreed on $100.
I added few bucks and here we are...

Here is a confirmation of my last effort...