Tuesday, July 31, 2018 5:52 AM

The woman at the bus stop has simple questions for me, but I can't answer her. I understand her, but when I try to respond, I can't recall some Hebrew words that I need: Sign. Direction. Arrive. She rolls her eyes and walks away. The next person to approach me waves a lighter in the air and speaks in rapid-fire Russian. I have no idea what he's saying. Seeing this, he switches to broken English. He's supposedly selling his father's beloved heirloom Zippo lighter for fifty shekels so he can get something to eat. I decline. He stomps off. I look up at the electronic sign and see that my bus, which had been due in a moment, has now decided not to show up at all. The next one is in twenty minutes. I mutter in frustration. At least when I talk to myself, I usually understand what's being said.