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American organization she dug up. Tanya is not Slavic, by the way, in spite of her name. But I’m not sure where she’s from. She never mentions her family—I think I told you she’s a runaway. Not too clear where she’s living, either.
    Feingold and I had a bit of a fight. Not really a fight, you know how I dislike any sort of conflict! However, he wants me to play Rosalind or at least Celia, and he’s quite stubborn. He doesn’t understand that I simply cannot memorize such a long text in a language that is still so foreign to me. I will barely be able to manage one of the smaller roles.
    He feels betrayed. He says I am our only good actress and that if I tried, I could learn the text—he would help me. I know my limits, though! I would ruin the play, I’d forget my lines or get them all wrong. Every third word is new to me. I am still searching constantly for ordinary words like regret or flour. Some Hebrew words are easy to remember (bakbuk is “bottle” and galgal is “wheel”!) but many are not.
    In the end he gave in but he was sulking heavily. He’s going to cast Tanya as Celia and start looking around for a Rosalind.
    There was a performance of Stravinsky and I had no money at all. Guess what I did, dearest? Tanya showed me a place where you can climb into the auditorium through the window. Imagine it! The usher saw what I did but I sweet-talked him and he turned a blind eye. I was so hungry for some live music! I found an empty seat without difficulty, as some people buy tickets but don’t show up. The players were very professional and enthusiastic and the first violinist was excellent. I enjoyed every minute and was only sorry that it ended so soon. It’s so good to leave all one’s problems behind for a small stretch of time and be transported to another world. I thought of you from start to finish and imagined that it was you sitting next to me and not a tiny Polish woman with blue-framed glasses.
    My battle with the cockroaches never ends! Remember how we fought the bedbugs? But in the end we were triumphant. These creatures are indestructible. Darling, I saw one nearly the size of an infant’s foot the other day, on the stairs of the building. I hit it with my shoe a dozen times at least. I hit it as hard as I could, over and over, but you know, this was the Rasputin of cockroaches! It just would not die. Finally I poured boiling water on the monstrous thing. I know I have to learn to live with this nuisance if I am to stay in this inexpensive neighborhood. Maybe I should move, but our rent is so low here and this way I can afford all sorts of other treats, like Kostya’s favorite cheese, which costs a small fortune. At least in this country we don’t have to wait in long lines for food!
    Darling, I love you. I am enclosing a little embroidered doll’s dress I made for Olga. I miss her terribly. Take care of yourself. If only I could send inside this letter some of the mild weather we are having. Dress warmly, darling.

S ONYA
    I finished my toast, brushed the crumbs from my skirt, and looked out at the garden. We no longer had a vegetable patch which required daily weeding, a task we all shared when we lived in the house on Yahud Street—that is, apart from Noah, who found it tedious. When Kostya decided to revive the destroyed garden of Yahud, he and I were in our reckless post-Yahud phase, and we focused on comfort and pleasure. A winding trail led from the patio to a miniature fountain of Venus and next to it a white cedar garden swing dangled from its sturdy frame, waiting for customers. Sweet, healthy-looking flowers alternated with large stones or waved hi from handmade clay tubs.
    The garden was slightly overgrown at the moment, and soft blue petals touched my knees as I sat on the steps. I was waiting for one of the neighborhood cats to come by for a treat. Until last year we’d always had a dog; King Kong lived to be very old, and so had King Kong II, but our most recent dog—a