Traveling Alone, Traveling Together (part 8)…by Robert M. Katzman
Note to my readers:
© November 5, 2011,
First written almost exactly six years ago, this was a nostalgic and philosophic reflection about not just traveling, but in Israel in May 2000 with Rick Munden immediately after my father Israel died, and I planted trees for him in Jerusalem. Bet they’re big trees, and shady now. We saw a lot. I probably drove Rick crazy.
This time, I am back in Israel, alone, because of the death of Joyce, wandering aimlessly around the country, wondering what to do. I keep wanting to call her, talk to her, about what amazing place I just saw. Though I never planned it, ironically, now my title now includes both of them. I hope you connect with it.
I have been many places
Traveling alone
Traveling together
Sometimes both
Together’s better
Alone you choose
You come
You go
You pause
You contemplate
You share nothing
You have
Freedom’s
Isolation
You accommodate only yourself
The memories are yours
No one else will remember them
How tall was the mountain?
How beautiful was the river valley?
Do you remember:
the
Intricate brickwork
of that:
Church
Synagogue
Mosque
Shrine
Bridge
or the
Endless road from Rome?
You better
No one else will
I have received kindness from
Available Strangers
When in trouble
Never to see them again in
Cologne
Paris
Frankfort
Montreal
Prague
Jerusalem
There will never be the sentence:
Do you remember when?
I may as well have been on
The Moon
For all anybody knew
A companion watches
Your back
Your luggage
Lets you sleep
Cheers you up
Is enthralled with you
Pissed off with you
Frightened with you
In the Eiffel Tower
At the Louvre
While you run to a bathroom
When you miss the
Train
Boat
Plane
When the stunning
French girl strolls by
When the nasty
French merchant
Snaps at you
When you see
All the Crosses and Stars
At Normandy
Takes your picture
Poses for you
Proves you were really there
Whenever
Wherever
You both remember
The crusty bread
The sensuous wine
The ocean of cheeses
The fish with pepper and lemon
The purple grapes stolen from a vine
The dark chocolate with almonds
The coconut gelato
You both remember
Crying in the cinema
The hush of the Cathedral
A meadow of flowers
So silent
You could hear the
Muddy brown creek
Slip by
Rippling
Hear the birds chirp
Hear the wind
Rushing past you
To be sick
Alone
In another country
Is very close to Hell
Maybe worse
When you return
Your friend may go away
But you will always know
Someone
Somewhere
Besides just you
 Remembers the day
When you saw
What you saw
And
How it was
When you were
Traveling together
Alone together
Far, far away
(to be continued…)
Driving in the Dark: Lost in Israel (part 1) https://www.differentslants.com/?p=3736
Bob in Israel: A Crusader Castle; The Tunisian Synagogue (part 2) https://www.differentslants.com/?p=3748
Marsha Michael, Who Solved My Problems in Israel (part 4) https://www.differentslants.com/?p=3771
Tel Aviv, Israeli radio and Unexpected Art (part 5) https://www.differentslants.com/?p=3796
Vad Yashem: Killing Millions of Children (part 6) https://www.differentslants.com/?p=3811
Chicago man Watches Death of Samurais in Israel (part 7) https//www.differentslants.com/?p=3846
Traveling Alone, Traveling Together (part 8) https//www.differentslants.co/?p=3865
An American Jew’s Bold New Plan for a Sane, Peaceful and Prosperous State of Palestine (part 9) https//www.differentslants.co/?p=3887
David’s Star in Israel (part 10)https//www.differentslants.co/?p=3907
Sleeping With the Bedouins (part 11-a) https://www.differentslants.com/?p=3962
Pleading with Fate in Jerusalem (part 12) https://www.differentslants.com/?p=3980
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Publishing News!
Bob Katzman’s two new true Chicago books are now for sale, from him!
Vol. One: A Savage Heart and Vol. Two: Fighting Words
Gritty, violent, friendship, classic American entrepreneurship love, death, heartbreak and the real dirt about surviving in a completely corrupt major city under the Chicago Machine. More history and about one man’s life than a person may imagine.
Please visit my new website: https://www.dontgoquietlypress.com
If a person doesn’t want to use PayPaI, I also have a PO Box & I ship anywhere in America.
Send me a money order with your return and contact info.
I will get your books to you within ten days.
Here’s complete information on how to buy my books:
Vol 1: A Savage Heart and Vol. 2: Fighting Words
My books weigh almost 2 pounds each, with about 525 pages each and there are a total together of 79 stories and story/poems.
Robert M. Katzman
Don’t Go Quietly Press
PO Box 44287
Racine, Wis. 53404-9998 (262)752-3333, 8AM–7PM
Books cost $29.95 each, plus shipping
For: (1)$3.95; (2)$5.95; (3)$7.95; (4)$8.95 (5)$9.95;(6) $10.95
(7) $11.95; (8) $12.95; (9)$13.95 (10)$15.95 (15)$19.95
I am also for hire if anyone wants me to read my work and answer questions in the Chicago/Milwaukee area. Schools should call me for quantity discounts for 30 or more books. Also: businesses, bookstores, private organizations or churches and so on.
My Fighting Words Publishing Co. four original books, published between 2004 and 2007 are now out-of-print. I still have some left and will periodically offer them for sale on my new website.