An Ambulance, A Bus and A Car

No, this isn't the punchline to a joke, nor is it a joke genre, such as "a priest, a rabbi and a minister."  They are the three types of vehicles in the order I rode in them to get home from work last night, Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin to Shiloh.

Earlier yesterday, I had sent a note to our yishuv list asking people if they could give me a "tremp," ride to or from work.  About an hour before I finished  a neighbor called asking if I'd be ready to leave in a bout a half an hour, since they'd be passing on their way home from Jerusalem.  Since we were a bit short-handed, due to the Succot holiday, I had to turn down their generous offer.  I had no idea how I'd get home.  Sometimes I find a ride (or rides) very quickly, but sometimes I find myself waiting a very long time.

So when we finished up and signed out, I whipped out my trusty sign and began flashing it at the customers leaving Rami Levi.  No go.  After a few minutes, I was feeling rather depressed.  I was hoping that it wouldn't be a longer night, since I was very tired.  Then someone who needed a ride to Ofra told me to wait someplace closer to the store, since a ride would be leaving soon. 

Four of us got into an ambulance which had gone shopping to pick up non-medical supplies at Rami Levi.  We exchanged "ambulance riding stories."  At Ofra, I waited longer.  Finally, a "school bus" on its way to Eli stopped and let me in.  I got off at the Shiloh Junction.

I didn't have to wait very long until a ride to Shvut Rachel came by.  Davka, she had been at Rami Levi, but since I hadn't bothered searching the store before waiting, I didn't see her.  She took me into Shiloh and then I schlepped up hill all the way home.  I hope that burned lots of calories, especially since I had a very heavy bag on my back.