What's all the fuss about? Starlings?

I just can’t see what all the fuss is about. All those trains and busses to get to this big place and all Bracha does there is sit and hold this tiny little person, sort of like a human puppy. It doesn’t play, doesn’t talk, doesn’t even have a tail to wag, and occasionally it waves its little hands about and makes tiny squeaking noises, but goodness Bracha seems totally infatuated with it. I presume it will grow to be a big girl like Rotem and play with me and feed me...I hope it will like me, too. .

Could it be that the strange thing that Suki is afraid of leaving Ben Ami in the morning is…a flock of starlings? Walking out of the moshav yesterday morning Suki stopped and balked at the usual place. It suddenly occurred to me that the air was filled with the loud clamor of a large flock of starlings nesting in the pecan tree on the other side of the road. A couple of forward maneuvers with the clicker and Suki agreed to pass.

Dealing with a guide dog in certain situations is not easy. Visiting the maternity ward at Carmel hospital, I encountered only support and welcome among the guards, but the obnoxious and aggressive relative of one of the patients who broke into a screaming fit was enough to make me simply want to avoid a fight and enjoy the visit to my new granddaughter. During one visit the guard at the entrance to the ward agreed to keep an eye on Suki, who immediately lay down and went to sleep, but the second day the guard was not there, so I cautiously approached the nurses’ station wondering what to do.

“You can’t bring a dog in here!” THis is a hospital!” The man came storming out of the nearest room screaming.

“Excuse me, but it’s a guide dog.”

“I don’t care what kind of dog it is! I’ll call the security guards!” he yelled.

“Go right ahead. Call them,” I replied quietly, remembering the warm reception that SUki and I had received at the gate by the obviously well-informed security personnel.

At this Ricky, the head nurse who had been very kind to us all, approached quickly and drew me aside. We decided to leave Suki at the entrance to the ward, and I went to my granddaughter. An extra five minutes holding her was much more important to me right now than winning yet one more fight with some idiot.
Later Itai told me that he had spoken to the man and explained to him all the things that Suki can do, and he was fascinated. Maybe next time he won’t yell so loudly, or not at all.