The Fool and the Jew
( the coming of age in an adventure of yesteryear.)
by John F. Dillon
A few weeks before the Christmas holidays, two engineers are asked by their employer to resolve a technical problem at the Naval Base in San Diego, California.
The Fool is Carlton Langford. Born and raised on Long Island, the tall, brash and somewhat narcissistic young man is a recent college graduate about to embark on the first flight of his career.
The Jew is Ben Shore. Born is Russia during World War Two, Ben had learned to maintain a quiet profile in a cruel society. His family immigrated to Israel after the war where he met his wife and completed his education. Some time later, he accepted an engineering position with an aerospace company in the United States. He and his small family moved to Long Island where they established a home in Nassau County.
Ben spoke in a heavy Yiddish accent yet despite being the only Jew in a strong parochial environment his polite, quiet manner and keen intellect soon ingratiated him to his fellow employees.
The story evolves from a delayed flight on a cold blustering night on Long Island to a landing under a mild starlit sky at Lindbergh Airport in San Diego.
Not understanding the reflexive repose of his more experienced traveling companion, Carlton experiences feelings of guilt about leaving his more experienced traveling companion alone each night while he avails himself to the rental car and Southern California nightlife. He eventually convinces Ben to accompany him to Tijuana to purchase holiday gifts.
Unfortunately, they schedule their visit on the coldest night of the year where they are mugged shortly after crossing the border into Mexico. Relieved of their processions the men are forced to return empty handed and cold to the United States.
Days later, their work completed, Ben returns to Long Island to be with his family while the unmarried Carlton takes the rental car and once again crosses the border to the Baja California where he experiences the loneness of being in a strange land over the holidays.
The Fool and the Jew is a story of the human condition, the impetuous of youth and the wisdom of experience.
The Fool and the Jew is not available for purchase at this time.