Conversation

Guard

In 2003 I was in Lima on Yom Kippur, research for my novella “Monkey Grabbing Hold of Happiness”.
For one reason or another I decided to go to a synagogue.
If I’m not mistaken I looked in the phone book but it’s also possible that I asked the front desk manager in my hotel: "Do you know a Jewish church in this neighborhood?"
It was late in the afternoon when I arrived in the synagogue. There was one security guard standing outside. Inside, there were approximately 25 men, mainly foreigners I suspected.
I stayed for about an hour, none of the men tried to engage me in a conversation, which I appreciated a lot. Then I left.
The guard said: “Already?”
“Yes,’ I answered. “It was enough.”