gee...thanks

me: you know, maybe you should just let me finish washing you off, yonina. cause you know, this is the last time you're gonna see me for awhile. by the time you wake up in the morning, i'll already be on the airplane.

yonina (spitting out bubbles): WHAT?!

me: true story.

yonina: well, in that case, you better leave your cell phone on.

me: leave my cell phone on?

yonina: uh....yeah.

me: why? am i to believe that you're actually going to CALL me? you wouldn't even talk to me when i called YOU last year.

yonina: well, i'm not going to be able to say goodbye to you if you're on the airplane. i mean, you won't hear me from my bed.

me: i don't know about that.

yonina: so mommy will dial the number, and then i'll say 'goodbye', and then i'll just hang up.

me: oh.

(pause)


me: so are you going to miss me?

yonina: maybe.

me: but you won't forget about me, right?

yonina: listen perel, i have a pretty good brain. i remember way way way a long time ago. like remember that time we went on the boat to new york? i remember that. so i'll probably remember you.

me: um...thanks...i think...

yonina (stopping to listen to the sounds of my father's band practice coming from the basement): sounds like someone's having a good time down there!