Book Excerpt from The Thank You Note

LIFE IN THE FAST LANE

“Where on earth could that watch have gone?” Danny muttered aloud in the empty bunkhouse.

He’d had it with him when he’d gone down to the pool; he remembered that clearly. Too late, he’d realized that he’d meant to leave it behind. Though the watch was reputed to be waterproof, the idea of submerging such an expensive piece of equipment in water didn’t sit right with him. And so, he’d decided to leave it in the bunk while he and the other boys went swimming.

Only he’d forgotten, and worn it to the pool. It lay tucked in the pocket of his pants while he swam. The pants had lain in a heap together with his shirt, socks, and tzitzis. At the end of the swim activity, Danny found the clothes exactly where he’d left them, and put them on in a blur of speed. Danny always moved that way. While the other boys in his bunk dawdled over their dressing, he streaked away to the bunkhouse to shower before supper.

“Hey, Danny, what’s your rush?” someone called as he ran past.

“Moving right along,” he murmured, keeping on running. That was his favorite expression.

Showered and newly dressed, Danny had sat down on his bunk to put on his socks — when his eye caught sight of that bare wrist. The watch was gone.

Of course, his first move was to check the pockets of his pants. They were empty. A quick search of the bunkhouse floor turned up nothing. It must be back at the pool, then. Frowning in his effort to concentrate, Danny conjured up a mental picture of the grassy area beside the pool. Had the watch spilled out of his pocket when he picked up his pants?

Another image kept intruding. Instead of the camp’s Olympic swimming pool, he kept seeing his bedroom back home, and in place of the lifeguard’s face, that of his mother....

“You’re not planning to take that watch to camp, are you?” Mom had asked as she helped him pack his trunk.

“Sure, why not?”

“You know very well why not. That watch cost five hundred dollars! Your Great-uncle Mordy bought you a very expensive bar mitzvah gift, and you’ve got to take extra good care not to lose or damage it.”

Danny had looked up then. “Mom, have you ever known me to be irresponsible? I’ll take care of the watch.”

“But why bring it along at all? It’ll just be something to worry about.”

“I won’t worry,” Danny said patiently. “I’ll enjoy wearing it around camp. What’s the use of having such a neat watch if I don’t even get to wear it?”

His mother bit her lip. “I don’t know.... You’d better ask your father what he thinks.”

Reluctantly, Danny had done so. Daddy regarded his oldest son for a long moment, then said, “I agree with your mother. Taking the watch to camp is a risky thing to do. In fact, I don’t even like the idea of a boy your age owning such an expensive watch. It’s just asking for trouble.”

Danny’s face fell.

“However” — His father held up a hand, and Danny brightened — “you’re a big boy now, and the watch belongs to you. I’ve offered my advice. Whether or not you take it is up to you.”

Danny decided not to take it.

His sister, getting wind of the story, had a great deal to say to Danny about the foolishness (in her opinion) of taking such a valuable thing to camp. Danny heard her out as he swiftly and methodically completed his packing, then said, “I appreciate the advice. But I’m taking the watch.”

“Danny! That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. It’s just plain stupid! It’s —”

“Moving right along...” Danny murmured, and tuned his sister out.

There was a clamor at the door, and the rest of his bunk began trooping inside. At the sight of Danny, his friend Menachem whooped, “There he is now — old Danny-boy, speedier than a cheetah!”

“Faster than lightning,” cried Shmulie.

“Quicker than the wind!” Eli crowed.

Menachem came up to Danny and thrust a fist under his mouth, like a microphone. “ ‘Life in the Fast Lane,’ by Daniel Senderowitz,” he intoned. “Daniel, do you have a few words for our audience?”

Danny stood up. Something in his face told his friends that he was in no joking mood. “I lost my watch,” he said quietly.

“What?” The others stared at him in horror. “The fancy one that you got from your uncle?”

Danny nodded. Turning to his counselor, he asked, “Can I run back to the pool to see if I can find it?”

“Sure. But hurry — supper’s in just fifteen minutes.”

Danny hurried. He found Betzalel, the lifeguard, on the point of locking the pool gates for the night.

“Betzalel!” Danny panted. “I lost my watch here a little while ago, I think. Can I come inside and look around?”

“No one brought anything to me,” the lifeguard said, swinging the gate open again. “But, sure, go ahead. Have a look.”

If no one had brought the watch to Betzalel, then there was a good chance it was still there. Danny entered the pool enclosure and made a beeline for the spot where he’d dumped his clothes earlier. A quick search of the area brought a sharp pang of disappointment.

There was no sign of the watch.

What would his parents say? And Great-uncle Mordy? He’d owned the thing no more than a month, and already he’d lost it. Was it he, Danny Senderowitz, who called himself “responsible”?

Betzalel watched him trudge back to the gate, shoulders in a dispirited slump. “Too bad,” he said sympathetically. “I’ll keep my eyes peeled, Danny.”

“Thanks.” Danny turned and walked through the gate. He was several yards down the path when the lifeguard called suddenly, “Have you checked at the office? People sometimes bring lost things there.”

New life sparkled in Danny’s eyes. “That’s a good idea. Thanks, Betzalel!” He sprinted down the path in the direction of the camp office, as quickly as his feet could carry him.

* * *

“A watch?” echoed Mrs. Lambert, the secretary. “No, I’m afraid no one’s brought a watch in here today. When did you say you lost it?”

“About an hour ago. At the pool.”

“If anything comes in, I’ll let you know....” At that moment, the phone shrilled at her elbow. Holding up a finger as a sign that Danny should wait, Mrs. Lambert took the call. Danny listened with half an ear to her end of the conversation, but he was too busy worrying about his watch to pay any real attention. He was roused from his thoughts by the sound of the secretary’s voice, sharp with urgency. “Danny, I need you to do me a favor. Go down to Bunk Four, and tell Yitzi Esterson that he has to come here to call home. That was his mother on the phone just now.”

Danny was surprised. “But it’s not call time. Supper’s in just a few —”

“This is an unusual circumstance. Please go get him.”

Danny would have preferred continuing his search for his watch. It was just possible that it had fallen out of his pocket when he’d prepared for his shower. He’d searched the bunkhouse, but not that thoroughly. It was worth another shot....

But something in the secretary’s manner made it impossible to say no. So, with a muttered, “Moving right along...”, Danny took to the road again (or rather, to the path), and sped like greased lightning toward Bunk Four and Yitzi Esterson.

He found the kid, as he’d expected, getting ready for supper along with the rest of his bunk. The counselor was just beginning to herd his eight-year-olds out of the bunkhouse when Danny appeared with his message.

Instantly, Yitzi’s face grew pale. “I knew it,” he said softly, lower lip trembling. “My Zaydie’s in the hospital, and I made my parents promise to let me know if he has to have an operation, so I could daven for him. That must be why they called.”

“Run along to the office, then,” his counselor urged.

“I — I’m not sure how to get there.”

“It’s easy. You just take the path up the hill, turn left at the dining room, then right at the arts-and-crafts building....” Seeing the confusion on the boy’s face, the counselor broke off. “You,” he said to Danny. “What’s your name?”

“Danny Senderowitz. Bunk Eight.”

“Do you mind running Yitzi up to the office? He has to make that call.”

“But I just came from there!” Then, catching sight of Yitzi’s strained white face, Danny relented. “Oh, all right. Come on.” Yitzi tagged along after him as he started back down the path.

He began at his usual pace, which was something along the lines of a bullet’s trajectory. Unfortunately, Yitzi’s legs were a lot shorter than his. A plaintive, “Wait!” from behind reminded him of his duty. Impatiently, Danny slowed down.

Yitzi trotted gratefully up to his side. “Thanks.” He seemed to find relief in words. “My Zaydie’s the closest person in the world to me,” he chattered, “besides my parents and my sister. He’s been sick a lot this year, and I didn’t want to go to camp in case — in case anything happened to him while I was away.... But my parents promised to tell me what was going on.” The sturdy young legs quickened. “Where’s that office already?”

A few minutes later they were standing beside Mrs. Lambert’s desk, watching her dial. “Could — could you stay with me till the call is over?” Yitzi asked, suddenly nervous. He looked very young and vulnerable as he gazed pleadingly up at Danny.

The older boy shrugged. “Sure. I’ll wait.”

The call didn’t take very long. When he replaced the receiver, Yitzi stood very still for a long moment. Then he turned to Danny and said, “My Zaydie is having a — a ‘procedure,’ they call it. I’m not sure what that is, exactly — but he’s having it right away, today, in about an hour. My mother said I should daven hard for him....”

“That’s a good idea,” Danny said soberly. “If you’ll give me his name, I’ll say some tehillim, too.”

“The name’s Reuven ben Basha.” Yitzi pronounced the words carefully, then hesitated. The pleading look was back in his eye. “Could I say tehillim together with you, Danny? Right after ma’ariv, we could stay in the shul and daven for my Zaydie. I — I’m not so sure how to do it myself.”

It was on the tip of Danny’s tongue to back gracefully out. After all, the kid had a counselor. This sort of thing was his job. Danny had troubles enough of his own right now. His parents’ faces swam up in front of him, scolding him for losing the valuable watch....

On the other hand, the counselor had a whole bunkful of boys to care for, while Danny was just a camper, with no responsibilities.

No, that was wrong. He did have a responsibility — to Yitzi. In his fear and distress, the youngster had turned to Danny for help. In his mind’s eye, Danny saw his mother and father again, but this time they were not scolding. They were nodding their approval at their son’s readiness to help someone who needed him. The watch could wait.

“Sure,” he said. “I’ll be glad to. Just make sure you get your counselor’s permission, okay?”

Yitzi nodded his assent, looking happier than he had since receiving his disturbing news.

During supper, Danny told his counselor in a low voice about this plan with Yitzi Esterson. The counselor willingly gave his permission for Danny to miss that evening’s night activity. “Just be back in the bunk in time for lights out,” he cautioned.

* * *

Ma’ariv over, the camp left the shul in a noisy mob, making for the casino where the night activity would be held. The shul seemed very quiet after they’d gone. Yitzi and Danny looked at each other wordlessly. The eight-year-old was still pale, Danny saw. Nothing like some tehillim to erase that feeling of helplessness the kid must be feeling. He went over to a shelf and pulled down two identical volumes. Then he sat down beside Yitzi and showed him what to say.

They had been reciting tehillim separately for about ten minutes — Danny speeding along as usual, while Yitzi plodded along, pronouncing each word slowly and arduously in a hoarse whisper — when Yitzi unexpectedly broke the near-silence to heave a silent sigh. It was an unconscious sigh, and the boy had no idea that Danny had even heard it. But the sigh touched Danny. It made him stop what he was saying to think for a minute.

He’d made a mistake, he realized. Yitzi had asked for them to daven together, but Danny had set him down to do it all by himself. Why, Yitzi might as well be sitting alone for all the good Danny was doing him! He touched the younger camper on the shoulder and said, “When you finish what you’re saying, stop a minute. I want to do this differently.”

Very soon, Danny was saying a line out loud and Yitzi was repeating it after him. Yitzi wasn’t very quick at reading strange words in Hebrew, and there were many times when Danny had to bite his tongue and clench his fists just to keep from saying something to hurry him along. For a kid who lived life in the fast lane, waiting for Yitzi was not very far removed from torture.... But he had no choice. Yitzi just wasn’t up to his speed, so Danny was forced to slow down.

As he davened, he exerted a powerful effort not to think about his watch, or his parents’ reactions when they heard he’d lost it. For this hour, this evening, he belonged to Yitzi. All his thoughts must be for the boy and for the boy’s ailing grandfather.

Slowing down to Yitzi’s pace made Danny say the words more slowly than he would otherwise have done — which had the beneficial effect of giving him the time to actually think about what he was saying. Like a traveler accustomed to high-speed travel who finally slackens his pace enough to actually enjoy the scenery, Danny had his first glimmering of what he might be missing in his headlong rush through life....

It was five minutes to lights-out, by Yitzi’s watch, when Danny said, “We have to stop now. I’m sure your Zaydie will have a refuah sheleimah, Yitzi.”

Yitzi nodded. Shyly, he said, “Thanks for davening with me. I couldn’t have done this much all by myself.”

“No problem.” He laid a hand on the younger boy’s shoulder as they slowly passed up the aisle to the door. Suddenly, Danny stopped. “Uh, Yitzi, you can go on ahead if you want. I just remembered something I’d like to daven for, myself....”

“I’ll wait,” Yitzi said. And he did, while Danny murmured a quick chapter of tehillim for the safe return of his precious watch.

Then the two stepped into the night. As he walked Yitzi back to his bunk, Danny told him about this watch. Yitzi was sympathetic, though still firmly caught up in his own worries. Danny said good night to the younger boy at the door of Bunk Four, then headed for his own bunk, and the restless, anxious night he anticipated for them both.

* * *

But Yitzi’s night, as it turned out, was not anxious at all. Because when he stepped into his bunkhouse, the first thing his counselor said was, “Hi, Yitzi. You missed another call.” And before Yitzi could ask, he added quickly, “Your mother said to tell you that your Zaydie is fine, baruch Hashem. The operation was a success. She hopes to call you with the details tomorrow.”

Yitzi broke into a broad smile. “Baruch Hashem!” Then, to his counselor’s astonishment, the boy made an about-face and started out of the bunk.

“Whoa!” called the counselor, coming after him. “Just where do you think you’re going at this time of night?”

“To Danny,” Yitzi explained, surprised at the question. “To tell him the good news!”

“Not tonight,” the counselor said firmly. “The news can wait till tomorrow. Lights-out is —” The bugle sounded in their ears, making Yitzi jump. His counselor grinned, and finished, “— now.”

With that, he propelled Yitzi gently toward his waiting bed.

* * *

By moving at top speed, Danny managed to slide into his own bed very shortly after lights-out had sounded. His bunkmates were talking quietly amongst themselves, but Danny took no part in the conversation. He rested with his hands behind his head, staring up at a ceiling that seemed to dance with mocking watches and angry parental faces. The two had begun to mix in dismal confusion when the door opened and his counselor walked in.

“Hey, Danny, you asleep yet?” he whispered.

“No way. I just got in. Thanks for letting me off night activity tonight. Yitzi and I both appreciate it.”

“No problem. Listen, Danny — Betzalel came by a little while ago, looking for you.”

“Betzalel?” Dany sat up, trying to ignore a furious new pumping in his chest. “What did he want?”

“You. When I told him you weren’t going to be back till lights-out, he left this for you.” The counselor reached into his pocket, drew out something, and dropped it into Danny’s hand.

Dazed, Danny stared down at his watch.

Vaguely he heard the counselor say, “Betzalel says he decided to take one last look around the pool again this evening. By the light of his flashlight, he saw something sparkle deep in the grass, half-hidden by a lounge chair. He figured it must be what you were looking for. But if it’s not....”

“Oh, it is,” Danny assured him, coming to sudden life. He threw off his covers and made as if to stand. “It sure is. Baruch Hashem!”

“Hey, where’re you going?”

“To Yitzi. To tell him the good news....”

“That can wait till the morning,” the counselor said firmly.

So it was by the light of the sun, that the two campers, younger and older, met again. They wore identical beaming faces. Danny enjoyed the happy glow in Yitzi’s eyes as he spoke of his recovering Zaydie, and the additional light that sprang into them when he heard about Danny’s bit of good luck. As he watched Yitzi run back to join his own friends, Danny glanced at his watch, safely on his wrist again, and thought about time.

It was a strange thing, he thought. A person could rush around like the wind but get little done. Or he could slow down, as Danny had the night before, and learn just how much might be accomplished by simply keeping time with another person’s heart....

He made his way to his bunk at a walk, not a run. And this time, he enjoyed the scenery all the way there.