had something to do," continued Freddy. But Reuven had already dealt the cards again and Freddy was drawn back into the game.
* * *
I go into what used to be the boiler room in the cellar, which the staff have taken over. Aryeh Spack, the company commander, Chaim Poltorek, the sarge, and a few squad leaders are lying about on the ground and trying to find something interesting in some old newspa-pers. Miriam Feinstein and Miriam Milstein, the two secretaries, who at least bring a bit of life to the staff, are using the chance of a lift to the camp to take a shower. The rest of us have long passed that threshold, when you no longer even notice your own filth.
I take the newspaper from the hands of a sleeping squad leader. There is no war in it. Two parties are arguing about something that 1 don’t understand. There is some excitement about a football game. At the front - according to the paper - a ceasefire is in force.
The telephone rings. Since I am the nearest, I pick up the receiver, even though the call has nothing to do with me.
"Samson’s Foxes."
"Battalion HQ. Is Aryeh there?"
"Yes."
"Then pass him to me"
"Is it important?" I ask. The battalion is often bothering us.
"Any other questions?" in a cutting tone. I pass the receiver to Aryeh.
"Aryeh here," the company commander says in a sleepy voice. Then he is suddenly wide awake. After a minute he puts the receiver down.
"Get Elieser!" he commands. Elieser Lasky has been in command of the jeeps since the assault on Beit Affa. "He is coming with me to battalion HQ... and the jeeps should be made ready for a night oper-ation."
* * *
"OK, listen ..." Elieser begins. His face was beaming as he returned from battalion HQ. We already knew that something was afoot, and gathered around his jeep.
"Tonight we are making a resupply expedition into the Negev. For the people there it is a matter of life or ..." he paused briefly. He didn’t like empty words. "Well, it is really very important. They have