I’m relieved to have had a few extra days to prepare. I would have been a mess otherwise. Who knew the iPod nano is such a hot ticket these days? It took a trip to three different stores to find one. And I managed to get the last one there. Nor did I think it would be so difficult to find a deflatable neck support pillow for the flight. I finally found one at Walmart today. Go figure.

And one of the final things I threw into my bag was an electrical plug converter for my computer. It’s nice that all laptop power chords have a built in power converter. The clunky black box attached to your laptop’s power cable is there to protect your computer from being plugged into either a 110 (United States) or 220 (Middle East) volt socket. Pretty nice, eh? But the actual plug isn’t compatable. Thus a converter is necessary.

While in the mall today, I went to Radio Shack to hunt one down. For some reason, Radio Shack is always my last ditch effort at finding anything electronic. The place has always come off as shoddy to me but it was there and convenient and totally empty of other customers. My shopping patience had long since left me and I was in no mood to start another shopping goose chase. I went straight to the chick working behind the counter and asked for an international plug converter.

She looked younger than myself. Maybe 22 or 23 years old. She was wearing a hijab which is a headcovering many Islamic women wear. She did not seem foreign to me. No accent. Very American besides the hijab. Anyway, here’s our conversation:

Me: “Hi. Do you sell international plug converters?”

Sales lady: “Oh yes. Right over here. Where are you going?”

Me: “Well, I need it to work in Europe and the Middle East.”

Sales Lady: “Where in the Middle East?”

Me: “Israel.”

Sales Lady: She smirks and almost seems to break out into laughter.

Me: “Where are you or is your family from in the Middle East?”

Sales Lady: After a moment of pause her face turns harshly earnest and she says in a low voice, “Palestine.”

INSERT MASSIVE WALL OF AWKWARD SILENCE HERE

Me: “I’m sorry.”

Yep. That’s right. All I can say in this strange situation is “I’m sorry”??? Of all the reactions to have, I had to do the one reaction that clearly wasn’t enough. At this point she’s already walking my plug converters to the check out counter. Of course I’m completely fumbling for words and want nothing more than to make my purchase and leave.

Just like the jack-ass I am, I said to her at the register, “If it makes you feel any better, I’m neutral in the matter.” If it makes her feel better? In afterthought that seems like one of the lamest things I could have possibly said (besides ‘I’m sorry’). Would she even care if I was for or against any one side? Does my neutrality some how make her feel better about her history and the conflict continuing today? Of course not. But it made me feel better to say something.

In the end, I made my purchase (I have absolutely no idea how much I paid for the damn converters) and walked out of the store. Behind me I could hear her say, “Enjoy your trip”. But we both knew there was more to that sentence than a simple courtesy. For the first time, I felt the energy between Israel and Palestine. It’s different from reading it in the news. It’s strangely embarrassing and viscious and historical.

Strange days.

24 hours before take off.

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