This letter is from before the diagnosis of cancer. The infusion spoken of is Remicaid (treatment for Crohn's disease) 4 Dec 2003
Dear Nachum

Well, I had an unbelievable day, today, and I did not feel alone.

I awoke at 9:15 AM after a dream in which I had to drive through a vehicle tunnel on a Police motorcycle, amid much confusion.  I saw Leah walking on the side of the road but felt uneasy about offering her a ride.  When I got to the other side my finger started bothering me:  seems my old 'Planter's Wart' had swollen up, and I know I had to treat it.

[This wart was treated ten years ago and has NOT returned.]

But that's not all:  I had to shower, shave, eat and dress quickly, as I had to make the 10:30 AM bus to Montclair, for my fourth Infusion treatment.  I left Stewart House at 9:50 and made the bus in good time.  The Infusion started at 11:30 AM and it went without incident [the medicine costs Medicare $4,000].  I used the time to sort out my five rolls of Israeli photos, and picked out a few for you [but I have yet to go through the 15 rolls from Egypt].

The Infusion was over at 3:00 PM and I wondered, could I make the 3:30 bus back to NYC ?  I had had the foresight to take all the things for you with me, so I could go directly out to Brooklyn and give them to Bonnie.  [I couldn't see her the day before, but told her I would bring more than she could carry, and she should just say STOP ! whenever she ran out of space.]  But could I make her house before 4:30 PM when she would leave for the airport ?

I phoned Bonnie and told her I could NOT possibly get to her house in Park Slope before 4:30, which is the time she gave me.  I knew the #66 bus was out of the question, so I walked to Bay and Broad Streets, Broomfield, and guess what ? !  Just as I got to the corner, the #88 pulled up, and I got on.  This run had no traffic delays, and I was in Port Authority at 4:00 PM

Having taken the subway schedule with me, I figured out that I had to take the 'A' train to Broadway-Nassau and change there for the # 2 or #3.  Again, the 'A' train pulled into the station just as I arrived, and I also caught the #3 to Brooklyn in a timely fashion.

I got off one stop too early [I had gotten the proper station for the 'Q' train from Bonnie, but was now on the #3].  So I phoned Bonnie who reported that her Dad had just left for the auto !  I negotiated the one block over, two down in the cold, 30 degree wind, and  Behold ! There was Her mother, on the steps of #190 Lincoln Place.  So, I made it!

Bonnie was able to fit in your sweater, the shirt, both vitamin bottles, an envelop of miscellaneous papers and four can openers.  These latter are better than the ones available in Israel, and are for You, for Rachele, for Rivkah and for Leah.  The contents of the envelop should be obvious:  photos for you, a booklet on Israel for you [with my entry on page 56], the calendar which I neglected to give you on my previous trip  ++  and what else I can't remember.  I think I included a children's book for Gabriel's children.

Anyway, I really can't tell anybody that my days in New York are dull, and I really felt most alive and happy to have accomplished my task for the day.  Just before Bonnie's car pulled out, I gave her a dollar bill for seduka, to help assure her a safe trip.

She and her family impressed me as a nice, gentle group, intelligent and calm, quiet and caring.   They received my entry at the very last minute with complete acceptance, and made me feel welcome.   Her mother did not get overly involved, and her father was straight forward.  The mother [
Sterns ?] asked me where I lived, and when I said Manhattan she asked which subway station.  "Cooper Square," I told her.

Apparently I had met Bonnie on my last [or previous] trip, but I remembered the group with the balcony, not the first-floor apartment where she said she lives.  Their house is a lovely, older wood paneled townhouse, largely unchanged from the original design.  Elderly but charming.  A thoroughly nice family: one could do a lot worse.

After I got home, I relaxed for a few minutes and then went to a Shareholder's Meeting in the Lobby.  Much Strum und Drang.

Enjoy the items.

Much love,  Dad