Hazards; Close Call

Hazard #1

What's that statistic about the vast majority of accidents occuring in the home?  Well, the other day I was diligently peeling some beets for a stew for dinner.  And then the peeler slipped.  And I felt pain.  However, seeing as how I was peeling beets, it was hard to tell much damage I had done.  Lovely.  Anyway, I will spare you the gory details, but it was pretty amazing what a simple vegetable peeler can do!

So, now my typing is slightly hampered.  But that's what painkillers are for, isn't it?

Hazard #2
Yesterday, I was walking home from the pharmacy at about 12:30 in the afternoon.  At one point
I paused and tried to decide which way to walk home.  I elected to take a slightly scruffy street since the other route was blocked by a massive truck that looked to be doing something sewage-related.  We call this particularscruffy  street "drug dealers' row" because the street itself is in pretty poor condition and it just generally looks seedy, but at the same time, some of the most massive, sprawling homes in the 'hood are on it.  

Anyway, I went down that street and then turned onto a very narrow alley-like street that leads toward our house.  For about 50 yards, there are no gates to houses -- just tall walls surrounding the properties on either side of the alley.  I was walking through this part and I heard footsteps approaching...quickly.  I looked back and tried to keep looking back at the figure approaching me so that he knew I saw him, but also not wanting to look directly at him, lest he think that was an invitation to harrass me.  

Anyway, my fears were realized when he sidled up beside me (entirely too closely) and started talking to me.  In Hebrew.  I knew what he was saying, but I just kept saying that I didn't speak Hebrew.  He was asking if I had a boyfriend....said he loved me....other assorted creepy comments.  YUCK.  I was eyeing my options as we emerged from the walled area and approached some houses with gates.  I decided to keep walking quickly toward our street.  Fortunately, there is an official embassy residence close to our house that has guards 24/7, so I figured I would walk there if the freak kept following me.  Fortunately, he got bored by the one-sided professions of devotion and walked the other way.  

Close call.  I am NEVER walking down drug-dealers'-row again.  I am boycotting that street.  And I have been reminded that although street crime is pretty rare in Israel, Israel is not entirely immune and I need to be careful.