Malena’s starting basic training in a week, did I tell you, Mami? I can’t remember what I told you and what I didn’t. I’ve had insomnia the past few days, even though I’ve always been a good sleeper. It’s true, Ingrid, you never really had that problem, it was your brother who always had me worried about his sleep. Why don’t you ask Gustavo about the pills he takes and maybe while you’re at it, you two can catch up? I could tell you what he told me the last time we talked, if you want. Mami, please. And how’s our girl feeling about starting with the army? She’s happy about it, or at least that’s what she says, who knows, her friends are going too, she sees her older siblings doing it, I don’t know. Let’s talk about something else because I’m getting upset just thinking about it. Were you able to get your TV fixed? Yes, Victor came over. That man deserves a medal. And his wife Carolina came too, you should see the way she takes care of me, she made me my coffee before she left, they’re saints, those two. Is this the same maintenance guy as before? No, this is a new guy, the building association took the other guy to court because, truth is, he was never around when you needed him. They reached a settlement or something, I don’t really know, but this Victor is an angel, I think he’s from Peru or up north in Jujuy, I can’t remember what he told me, but they’re always traveling back and forth. Mami, you should seriously think about things. It’s been a year now since everything with Papi, and even before that I’ve been saying that Jorge, the kids, we’re all here. It’s not the first time I’m bringing it up. You’d be much better off here, the quality of life, everything, Mami. It’s not like it is there. Here they have advanced treatments for diabetes, like I told you, you wouldn’t have to give yourself a shot every day like you do now. There’s a woman named Silvia who lives in my building, she’s from Argentina too, and she also has diabetes, and she says it changed her life. They give you a belt to wear across your abdomen that gives you insulin, it’s like magic, Mami. Here you’d be near us, and Jorge and me, we’d take care of you. And you can’t even imagine all the green space, it’s not just building after building after building. But Ingrid, please, what would I do there, I’m too old to move to a different country. Here I have my house, my things, the girls in the choir, and Berta and Noemí are still here, thank God. I wouldn’t know up from down with the language there, how would I communicate? Let’s say I have to go to the supermarket to get something, Ingrid, or the drugstore. I only know two or three words in Hebrew, not enough to even buy a piece of candy from the corner kiosk. And at this point in my life… I’m not up for starting over, it’s not like you did, you left a long time ago. I’m good here, Ingrid, I’m comfortable, I have everything I need. But, Mami, I’m telling you, you’d be better off here, you wouldn’t have so much to kvetch about like you do there, and you’re all alone in that huge house, have you thought about what you’re going to do with the house? It wasn’t such a terrible idea what Jorge suggested the last time we were in Argentina, remember? We talked about selling it, moving you to a smaller place, investing the money that’s left over. Investing? Ingrid, what on earth! And there’s tons of Argentines here, Mami. Like the one I told you about, Silvia, the one with diabetes, she’s got to be about your age, maybe a little younger… she came here in the seventies, she was a socialist, you know, and the poor thing went through a terrible tragedy—but let’s not bring ourselves down with Silvia’s past. Point is, she’s a doll, and I think you’d get along great with her. Our neighborhood is full of Argentines, so many that they call it La Villa Crespo. Seriously, Mami. And you’re more of a social butterfly than I am, I’ve been here fifteen years and you’ll make more friends than me, for sure. What’s all this about me kvetching, Ingrid? Just wait until you get to be my age. I’ve got my whole routine here, hija. Tere comes here Tuesdays and Thursdays and treats me like a queen, she makes me enough food to last the whole week. Oh, how’s Tere doing, Mami, how’s her husband? Her husband is so-so, he had an operation and it went well, now he’s doing radiation. I see him all the time because he goes to the hospital here on Las Heras for his treatments, they say it’s a very good hospital. Tere’s happy with it there, she says it’s very clean and everyone is nice. That doesn’t surprise me, Argentina has good public hospitals, Mami. Remember Doctor Pasternak, the kids’ pediatrician? He used to be the head of pediatrics at a public hospital. Of course I remember him, he was such a gentleman, but getting back to what I was saying, Ingrid, here I have something going on every day of the week: Monday is film discussion group, Tuesday I go out for coffee with Berta and Noemí, although now we go to a different place because La Infanta closed, did I tell you about that? Oy, we were beside ourselves when we found out! Anyway, Wednesday exercise class, Thursday choir, and Friday I go to shul. Did you hear about what happened to Dubitsky? Roberto Dubitsky, chair of the temple board? Have you heard, hija? No, Mami, how would I hear about Dubitsky? Well, maybe Andrea or Mariana told you, I don’t know. Anyway, they caught him robbing the safe in the temple office, and obviously they asked him to step down. What a mess, Mami, why on earth would anybody steal from the temple? And it’s not like he needs the money, he must have one of those disorders where you’re compelled to steal things, you know what I’m talking about? Could be, Mami. Dubitsky’s daughter lives in Israel, do you ever see her? She was a little younger than you, I think. Mami, it’s not like I see everybody from the temple all the time, the only one I run into here and there is Maia Fresco, I think she was Gustavo’s age. Yes, she went to kindergarten with Gustavo. You know, you should really think about why you haven’t had more of a social life these past fifteen years, and I’m not just talking about Dubitsky’s daughter. Mami, stop changing the subject, before you started with the whole temple telenovela we were talking about the house. I don’t know how to say it any clearer, because I don’t think you’re really understanding me. You fell and you almost died and I don’t feel comfortable with you living there all by yourself. If Gustavo were there, maybe, even though he’s a nishtgutnik, but at least I would know he’s there in case of emergency, but he’s not, not anymore. Can you imagine if the doorman hadn’t been there at just the right time? But he was there, Ingrid, he was there. Yes, he was, but you could’ve died, Mami, don’t you realize that if you had fallen one block earlier or one block later, I don’t even want to think about how the story would’ve ended? I already told you, thank God it happened right in front of the building, and it was nothing, I only have to have the cast on one more week and then I’m good as new, Ingrid. Don’t make such a fuss about it. Oh, did I tell you? The girls came over to play rummy the other day. Your cousin Elisa came, it was so nice. She’s looking much better since everything that happened with her son. Mami, stop changing the subject, talking about Elisa. We were talking about how you fell and almost died. You should have heard how loud I screamed when they called me from the hospital, Mami! Why don’t we talk about why you haven’t made any friends in all these years, instead, Ingrid? Nevermind, nevermind. Let’s suppose I say okay, alright, and I move to Israel at 83 years old; you don’t even have room for me in your house. Let’s be realistic, hija, there’s barely enough room for the kids. Every time Gastón and Santiago are home on leave from the army, they take over Malena’s room and they’re at each other’s throats. When Papi and I went to visit you, it was total chaos, Ingrid. Mami, it’s no big deal, we’ll figure something out. Who knows, maybe we’ll even move, did I tell you they’re giving Jorge a raise? They’re going to give him a raise, or they already gave him one? Oy, Mami, I’m trying to tell you it’s a real possibility, his boss told him that they’re very happy with his performance. Sure, Ingrid, as long as he’s spending eighteen hours a day behind the wheel. Does Jorge even sleep? It’s impossible to talk to you, Mami, you’re really making it impossible. I’m trying to tell you they’re going to give him a raise, that we’re thinking about moving, and all you do is give me shit about it. Oh, so you’re thinking about moving. Well, that’s more or less the plan, Mami. We want to move somewhere closer to my job. It’s no big deal for Jorge since he’s driving and he already picks up rides from out here, but it takes me an hour, hour and a half to get to work every day and I can’t always get a seat on the bus. So, you know, we’re thinking about finding a place closer to the hospital. That would be great, Ingrid, such a long commute isn’t healthy. You know your books are still here, and your sofa… Yes, I know, Mami. I told you a hundred times to sell that sofa, it’s actually worth something. Oh please, Ingrid, at this stage of life I’m not going around selling things. Besides, I’m still holding out hope that you’ll come back, what can I say. Mami, it’s been fifteen years since we left. Yes, I know it’s been fifteen years, Ingrid, fifteen years, don’t remind me. I don’t know how time goes by so fast. It’s already been a whole year since everything with Papi. That’s what I’m saying, Mami, we don’t want you to be all alone. But I don’t feel all alone, Ingrid, stop it already. Besides, let’s suppose that I do in fact go there and we move to a bigger house. The kids are all going to be in the army, Jorge works all day, and you do too, basically. And what about when you work the night shift? Well, the idea is that I’ll gradually stop working nights, it’s just that it’s hard to give it up right now because here they pay you triple for the overnight cleaning shift at the hospitals. It’s unbelievable, Mami, this kind of thing just doesn’t happen there. In Argentina they pay you next to nothing and it’s under the table. Here, even as bad as things get, at least we’re both on payroll. It’s like comparing apples and oranges. Sure, but you work nights mopping floors, Ingrid, meanwhile you’re a professional who graduated from one of the best universities in the country, so what’s so unbelievable about it, Ingrid? Maybe you can explain it to me more clearly because I don’t really seem to understand. I’ve already explained it to you a million times, Mami. Here people don’t go to therapy like they do in Buenos Aires, and the Argentines here don’t have the money to pay for a therapist. Give it a rest, would you, Mami… But Ingrid, don’t get upset, what do you want me to say? Even though I’m by myself at least I’m in my own house, with my own things, my own language, my friends, the choir, the temple, basically everything, Ingrid. The kids aren’t even going to be there anymore, because… when was Malena starting basic training again? In a week, Mami, in a week and I just want to die, I don’t want her to go, Mami. She’s so tiny and fragile, she’s not like Gastón and Santiago. They never give me any trouble, but it’s been harder for Male, even though she came here when she was three years old, she never got used to it, I don’t know why. A week ago she broke out in hives all over her body, Mami. It’s because of the stress, and I don’t even know what to do anymore. And to make matters worse, I had straight night shifts at the hospital this week, and Jorge told me he could hear her crying in her room, and my heart is just breaking, Mami. What I wouldn’t give to be back home, to go to La Infanta for their ham and cheese toast and a cortado, killing time in between patients. Or to go to the sports club and get together with the crew on Saturday nights at somebody’s house. Did I tell you Rubén and Pola got divorced? Yes, hijita, you did tell me, he left her for the tennis instructor at the club. Yes, it’s terrible, Mami. Pola’s in a bad way, she’s a total wreck, she had me on the phone for over an hour the other day. Stop changing the subject, Ingrid.
