
Photo: Na’ama Yehuda
Down memory lane
Where small feet
Came to learn,
And the stories
Of pain and resistance
Remain,
Where the concepts
Of secret and magic
A house may
Contain,
Filled my mind with
Both worry
And wonder
Again
And again.
Note: The photo (taken in 2008) is of the fence and alleyway hugging the perimeter of an estate in my childhood town where science, historical espionage, ‘betrayal by pigeon’, capture, torture, hidden tunnels, and suicide were all shared in pretty graphic detail with primary school children during school-tours of the location (complete with yellowed photos, blood stains, personal effects, pistol, tunnel in the bathroom and all). The museum hosted children from all around, but us local kids held the place (which was and still is located right near the town’s center), in a combination of fascination, awe, horror, and perhaps a sprinkle of pride for a perceived association with the courage and tragedy of a local heroine. Though I don’t think they tell this to kids quite the same way these days, the stories and memories remain.
For the Tuesday Photo Challenge: Back Catalog
What a place. If I were a kid I would want to go see it too. Well done, Na’ama
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Yep. And it might give you some nightmares … or it might feed the seed of becoming an author … (seeds are a part of that story, actually … gotta love Freud!) π
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Yup. It’s my moms fault.
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OOOOOOOOOOkay … π
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Freud reference.
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I realized … π Intonation is tricky to convey over text sometimes, eh? π
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It is tricky. Fun to work on though.
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Yep! π
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I am intrigued. Where is this place?
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Ah, intrigued is the expected reaction … π
It is in Israel!
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Ah. In which case I must confess my ignorance.
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I was being deliberately vague. π I could’ve easily included an identifying plaque or name, or link … I wanted to leave this less about the actual place (though some who are familiar with it identified the place immediately from the details I’d shared) and more about the experience and the impact of things we hear in childhood, some which resonate more than others with all manner of layers of experience for us and around us, and how they may remain quite vividly remembered well into adulthood. π
Sorry (but not TOTALLY sorry) for being cryptic … π
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No-no-no, don’t apologise. The missing data drove the contents deeper in.
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π whew! π And … yay!
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π
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That was so well done, Na’ama. I read it thrice. This place… wow.
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Yep… That place… π
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Wonderful post to resonate the past through the footsteps of a child!
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Thank you, Frank! Not a simple place, but certainly has its beauty, and its complexity, and memorability … for this back catalog! … π
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Wow – that is quite the back catalog history for the photo. Your description of what you remember of the sadness that happened coupled with the sadness that the history is not being shared touched me today. Very thought-provoking.
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Thanks, Shelly (your comment hid in a spam folder till this morning!? OY!) – It is some story, ain’t it?! Yeah, you ‘got it’ completely: the sadness about the history, the sadness about the realities it depicted, the sadness (and perhaps some relief – the graphic parts for young kids were a bit … well … graphic … ) that it is not told in quite so many details these days. History can often be like that, eh? π
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Thank you for rescuing me from spam. I don’t know why I end up there so often. I appreciate it when someone lets me know. Not sure how to fix it though.
Yes, I agree, there are so many ways to share history.
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Am glad I found you there! Rochelle let me know a while ago that some things might end up in Spam and I learned to check there periodically. Glad I had! I don’t know why some messages end up there – even from ‘followers’ and without apparent rhyme or reason – so I don’t have a remedy for it, but if I ever find out, I’ll let you know!
Here’s to sharing history!
Na’ama
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Thank you – same to you too!!
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π
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Mystery upon mystery. I like that.
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π Indeed and indeed … And .. I”m glad you like it.
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Wow!
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I know … Yeah, it is a wow place … π
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I was intrigued to where it could be, but read the other comments. Israel, right?
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Yep! π
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