A brief romance confronts emotional longing, terminal illness, and the painful limits of hope.
Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases
A Restless Tel Aviv Life
The young man leaves his family home and builds an independent life in Tel Aviv. His work, family responsibilities, and unstable relationship with Miki establish his emotional vulnerability.
Key Events
Tel Aviv Life — The young man lives in Tel Aviv after leaving his family home.
Location: Tel Aviv
Leaving The Moshav — He leaves his family home and establishes an independent life.
Location: Family home and moshav
Children's Home Work — He works as a supervisor at the children's home run by his mother.
Location: Children's home
Rented Apartment — He lives in a rented apartment in Tel Aviv.
Location: Tel Aviv apartment
Watching His Sister — He occasionally watches over his younger sister.
Location: Tel Aviv
Miki's Uncertain Promise
The young man has moved to Tel Aviv because of Miki, but Miki is unfaithful and uninterested in permanence. This relationship leaves the young man emotionally unfulfilled.
Key Events
The Sister's Rebellion — His mischievous sister spends time with young Arabs.
Location: Tel Aviv streets
Moving For Miki — He moved to Tel Aviv because of his relationship with Miki. Characters: MikiLocation: Tel Aviv
Miki's Disloyalty — Miki proves unfaithful to the young man. Characters: MikiLocation: Tel Aviv
No Stable Future — Miki shows little interest in a stable, permanent relationship. Characters: MikiLocation: Tel Aviv
Thomas Enters Israel
Thomas arrives from New York and stays in the same building as his mother and grandmother. His presence creates an unexpected possibility of emotional renewal.
Key Events
Thomas Arrives — Thomas travels from New York to Israel to visit his family. Characters: ThomasLocation: Israel
Shared Building — Thomas stays in the building where his mother and grandmother live. Characters: ThomasLocation: Residential building in Israel
Thomas's Illness — Thomas is identified as a man living with AIDS. Characters: ThomasLocation: Israel
An Unexpected Meeting — The young man meets Thomas during his stay in Israel. Characters: ThomasLocation: Thomas's residential building
Love Against Illness
The young man falls in love with Thomas, while Thomas resists commitment because he has AIDS and hides his terminal illness. Their attraction grows alongside fear and emotional distance.
Key Events
Growing Attraction — The young man falls in love with Thomas and wants to spend time with him. Characters: ThomasLocation: Israel
Resistance To Romance — Thomas resists a deeper relationship despite the young man's feelings. Characters: ThomasLocation: Israel
Hidden Terminal Illness — Thomas hides his terminal illness from people around him. Characters: ThomasLocation: Israel
A Brief Romance — A short romance develops, but it remains emotionally and practically unfulfilled. Characters: ThomasLocation: Israel
The Impossibility Of Return
Thomas returns to New York and leaves behind the hope of seeing each other again. His later death turns that hope into a lasting, bittersweet loss.
Key Events
Fear Of Hurting Him — Thomas fears that commitment and his illness will hurt the young man. Characters: ThomasLocation: Israel
Return To New York — Thomas returns to New York after the brief relationship. Characters: ThomasLocation: Israel and New York
Hope And Loss — Thomas leaves behind hope of reunion, but dies in New York several years later. Characters: ThomasLocation: New York
Story Breakdown
Tel Aviv Independence — The young man leaves his family home and establishes an independent but complicated life in Tel Aviv.
Leaving The Moshav — He leaves the family home and lives separately in Tel Aviv.
Children's Home Work — He supervises children at the home run by his mother.
Family Responsibilities — His independent life remains connected to family obligations and concerns.
Watching His Sister — He occasionally takes responsibility for his younger sister.
Sister's Rebellion — Her association with young Arabs adds tension to the family background.
Miki's Unstable Bond — The relationship that brought him to Tel Aviv fails to provide loyalty or permanence.
Moving For Miki — He relocates to Tel Aviv because of Miki.
Broken Expectations — Miki is unfaithful and does not seek a stable relationship.
Thomas's Arrival — Thomas comes from New York to visit family in Israel and enters the young man's world.
Family Building — Thomas stays in the building where his mother and grandmother live.
Unexpected Meeting — The young man meets Thomas during his Israeli visit.
Illness And Secrecy — Thomas's AIDS diagnosis and fear of causing harm make intimacy difficult.
Terminal Condition — Thomas is living with AIDS and faces a terminal illness.
Hidden Truth — He conceals his illness from those around him.
Brief Unfulfilled Romance — The young man's love grows while Thomas resists a lasting commitment.
Growing Attraction — The young man falls in love with Thomas and wants to spend time with him.
Fear Of Commitment — Thomas fears that his illness and emotional involvement will hurt him.
Departure And Loss — Thomas returns to New York, leaving hope that is eventually overtaken by death.
Return To New York — Thomas leaves Israel and returns to New York.
Bittersweet Aftermath — The hope of reunion remains, although Thomas later dies in New York.
A drama about two families, each with a gay son. Jonathan is splitting from Miki because the more experienced Miki is playing around. Then Jonathan sees Thomas, the son and grandson of his neighbors, who is back in Israel after failing to make it as a musician in New York: Thomas is ill, detached, in search of hard drugs. Jonathan tries to connect with him. Meanwhile, Thomas's grandmother, facing old age, has become bitter, particularly toward her hard-working daughter. They worry about Thomas. A few blocks away, Jonathan's mother, brother and sister maintain their sometimes bickering relationships, watching Jonathan brave adulthood.
