Technically, Tholdi – pronounced Toldi – had been a man already for exactly three years. Since his barmitzvah when by Jewish law he became accountable for his own actions. But according to Alex, Tholdi’s best friend, there was another rite to be performed, another threshold to be crossed. And so it was, on a mild evening early in the European summer of 1941, that Tholdi found himself on a tram travelling towards an appointment to surrender his virginity.
Tholdi was younger than Alex by almost two years, but they were like brothers. They’d grown up in each other’s homes, in the same apartment building with a shared courtyard. Their fathers had done business together. Their mothers had swapped recipes and secrets. And Alex, who lost his virginity at fifteen, had no doubt it was time for Tholdi to lose his.
Leave a Reply