Alon vs. Shlomi

Since I arrived in London, I have been searching for places to stay. I can't afford to stay at a hotel (and the company won't sponsor accommodations), so I have to deal with what I got. Phone call after phone call, email after email, couch surfer after couch surfer... nothing....

And then I get an email from Yaniv, Call Shlomi, he's a friend of mine that lives in London. Now if you know me well enough, you know that I'm pretty shy when it comes to asking strangers for a place to stay. But I actually met Shlomi once, and in the condition I'm in, I'm ready to ask a homeless person if we can snuggle for warmth.

Hello, Shlomi? I ask. Yea, Hi, it's Alon I'm Yaniv's Brother. I think we met a few years ago

when we got really stoned together. At this point I realized that this might be a different Shlomi. A more serious Shlomi. A Shlomi that doesn't smoke pot and hates users. But then I thought, wait this is Yaniv's friend. Its SHLOMI Shlomi! That moment he told his Girl Friend near by what I had said and they both laughed. Although, I later remembered that I was about 12 when I met Shlomi. So it never even happend. (Am I the only one in the world that can create and end a psychological break down in a matter of moments?)

Anyway, I met Shlomi that night with his lady, Ania. They asked me to bring over some Potatoes and Lamb chops. And I did as I was told. When I arrived Shlomi didn't look a bit like what I expected. He kinda looks like Danny Olinsky and me rolled up into one (Nachon, Yaniv?).

An amazing meal was prepared. Along with what I brought, they made Boar Sausa

ges. I couldn't get my hands off 'em. We ate, drank, and laughed till it was too late. Shlomi walked me to his apartment where he said I could stay while he slept at Ania's.

Wow! Is that what i think it is? an 'old school' reel to reel tape player, a fully functioning classical piano, acoustic guitars on the wall. I hit the jackpot! After a few instructional moments with Shlomi, I was left alone in this musician's wet dream of a room (its an expression shlomi. Don't worry ;) ). I played Piano for about a half hour and watched as every key I hit stroke the physical strings inside the piano. Then, since i didn't know how to turn it on, I stared at his reel to reel player. and just stared at it. And stared at it. Its so beautiful...

What a wonderful night sleep I had. Shlomi, man, Thanks for Dinner. Even though I can't wait to go back home to Israel, thanks, Shlomi, for making me feel as if I were already home.