Letter to a Married Man's Lover
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
An author writes a letter to her husband's lover, sharing observations gathered from waiting at the post office and reflections on their lives. The letter, an excerpt from Iris Kaufman's book, explores themes of permanence, observation, and personal history.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Author writes to her husband's lover, detailing observations from post office waits.
- She notes the lover's frequent lateness and interactions with the branch manager.
- The author reflects on her own past and contrasts it with the lover's life.
- She believes written words are more permanent than spoken ones.
- The letter is an excerpt from Iris Kaufman's book, "The Side of the Water."
The author writes a letter to the lover of her husband, detailing her observations and thoughts, often gleaned from waiting in line at the post office. She describes how the lover, who works at the post office, is frequently late, leading to confrontations with the branch manager, Yeniv. The author notes Yeniv's authoritative demeanor, contrasting it with his past as a seemingly ordinary high school acquaintance.
During her waits, the author overhears conversations that reveal details about the lover's life, including her family's wealth, her father's insistence she work despite financial security, and her perceived arrogance towards Yeniv. The author explains her decision to write rather than speak, believing that written words have a permanence that spoken words lack, citing a metaphor about the present moment instantly becoming the past.
She reflects on her own past, mentioning her deceased mother and her childhood experiences, and contrasts them with her current life and relationships. The author also describes observing the lover's habits, including her walking style and her living in a newer part of town, which the author attributes to her family's wealth. The author admits to following the lover from the post office to her home on multiple occasions, noting her lack of awareness of her surroundings. The letter is an excerpt from Iris Kaufman's book, "The Side of the Water."