Page 10 - Kol Bogrei Habonim - September 15
P. 10
A CUPPA WITH MAGGIE
COLIN PRIMOST, KFAR HANASSI
T chauffeur open the door of the second limousine
he year is 1978 and Mrs. Thatcher has
now been leader of Her Majesty's
and Mrs. Thatcher steps out along with her three
opposition for three years, and looks to
Adam Butler, son of Rab Butler, former Tory
be set to be the next Prime Minister, for the parliamentary undersecretaries, the senior one is
Labour Party is now in big trouble due to “the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
winter of our discontent.”
We take them to the office for a special breakfast
She decides to conduct a study tour of the and of course a good cup of tea, then to the
Middle East including 2 days in Israel. One of children's houses. All this time I am trying to
her wishes was to visit a kibbutz, “to see for make some personal contact with our visitor. I
myself what this kibbutz thing is all about.” The make a slightly sly reference to the rumours
Foreign Office recommends a visit to Kfar regarding the sexual preferences of the leader of
Hanassi, firstly because her daughter Carol had the Liberal party. She reprimands me on the
spent a month there as a volunteer, but more spot; “we must refrain from discussing the
importantly, it was still one of the few places left private lives of members of parliament.” But
in Israel where you could always be sure to get a when we visit the kindergarten, I can't control
really good cup of tea. myself, and ask her how did her children react
when they heard the shouts “Margaret Thatcher,
Our Mazkira had approached me the previous Milk snatcher?” She gives me an icy stare. “We
week, and asked me to help entertain our do what we think is right,” end of story. I come
distinguished visitor, “because you are the to the conclusion that she is one hell of a tough
nearest thing to a right-wing reactionary that we cookie!
have on our kibbutz, and no doubt will find
some common language with her.” I agreed at After lunch in our ever-noisy dining hall, we
once, very keen to meet this exceptional person, take her to meet all those chaverim who would
the very first (and only) woman ever to become like to meet her to discuss politics. So obviously
the leader of a political party in Great Britain. all our diehard lefties turn up, armed with what
And, davka of the Tories, a somewhat moribund they consider penetrating and difficult questions.
and definitely conservative bunch! But for her, it was child's play. She had all the
answers off pat, and even more! By now it's
So first I check out the room that was Carol's. almost 5 o'clock, time for her departure. She
It's bad, really bad. The walls are peeling, there stands up; 'let's go now and see Carol's room'. I
is a smell of rotting wood, and the one tiny explain that regrettably it's too late. ‘The room is
window has a broken pane. So I make a very right on the other side of the kibbutz, so better
important decision on the spot. Under no leave it for her next visit'. She strides towards
circumstances, and no matter the situation, this the door:' I am not leaving until I see her room'. I
room will not be shown to the doting mother!
sense that this will not end well.
Two large limousines park outside the dining I look at her face as she enters the room. The
hall. All the secret British and Israeli agents leap peeling walls, the smell, the tiny cracked pane
out of the first limousine. Only then, does the
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