The Nimrod Flip-Out [Cheap Moon]

They are funny, sad, exciting, cynical, and deal with the human weaknesses we try so hard to hide. They are about ambitionless small-time losers, and dreamers who try to change the world. They are about the loneliness of individuals, while also touching on our problems as a society. These are the stories of Etgar Keret, now a role model for dozens of young writers in Israel.

A young guy sits on his apartment terrace and watches his girlfriend who is sunbathing naked on the grass. People pass by, stop and make comments, but nothing seems to bother her. The guy does nothing; he merely tries to define his feelings for himself. A cat by the name of Rabin (the same name as the prime minister who was assassinated) has been run over by a motorbike. The driver is attacked, the attacker is hit by a policeman, and one violent act leads to another.

And from Rabin the cat to Tuvia the dog, who barks like mad at everyone. He’s a rebellious creature, and they`ve tried all kinds of ways to get rid of him, but he always returns home. Finally they shoot him, but even then he comes back, injured. It turns out, however, that they’ve finally broken his spirit. It is hard not to sympathize with Tuvia, who lives in a world without tolerance or sympathy for outsiders.