November 22 （visa expires in 53 days）
“Wow. Look!”
We were on our way to celebrate Loy Krathong , the Thai festival of lights. It’s kind of like Hannukah, only way cooler.
I leaned over Keren to look out of the car window at a light balloon floating in the night sky.
Some people call them Chinese lanterns or fire torches, but I like to call them light balloons.
They’re not legal anymore because it turns out they’re a hazard for airplanes, but there’s always a rule-breaker somewhere who insists on celebrating the tradition the old-fashioned way.
We, however, were just a law-abiding family heading to one of the beaches to join in the celebrations.
“It’s a shame these lanterns aren’t allowed anymore,” said Naama, who had read everything ever written about the festival and was ready to educate us. “They look so pretty in the pictures.”
“True, but I’m sure that a candle-bearing duck made of fish food will be impressive too.” Eli, my adopted father, was a little less swept away by the occasion.
“I think it’s great they’ve made it more ecological. I bet the fish never ate ‘duck’ before.” Keren was a vegan and had recently become obsessed with all things “ecological.”
We parked a few minutes’ walk from the beach because it was starting to get crowded.
The roadsides were lined with booths selling Loy Krathong – little boats made of banana wood or fish food.
They came in all sorts of designs including – you guessed it – ducks.
The boats have candles in them which are lit before they are put into the water.
“It’s meant to be an offering to the sea goddess, but the Thais take advantage of the romantic lights and the full moon to make it like Valentine’s.
” Naama hadn’t skipped the Thai-specific sites when she researched the festival.
And there were couples everywhere. From schoolkids to old folks – everyone seemed to be paired up.
“Look how awesome! I want one!” Keren pointed to a particularly colorful boat decorated with flowers.
“Four for 200 baht?” Naama asked the stallholder. She knew I wouldn’t care if she picked for me.
Walking down to the water was slow-going, both because of the crowd and because Keren stopped at every stall to check out the different designs.
“C’mon Keren. We want to get to the shore before sunrise,” I said impatiently. I was dying to feel the sea breeze. The crowd was making me hot.
“I think I’ve taken about 200 pics already. Everything is so beautiful.”
“Your followers will be wowed.”
Keren didn’t seem to notice my sarcastic tone. “Geez. How will I choose which ones to post?”
I assumed this was a rhetorical question.
We eventually made it to the beach and Naama lit our candles. Hundreds of boats were already illuminating the water. It was gorgeous.
“Remember to make a wish before you put your boat in the water. But don’t blow the candle out – it’s not a birthday cake!”
We took a few photos posing with our “light ducks” and headed for the water.
Keren and I gave our boats a little shove beyond the lapping waves.
I watched her concentrate on making her wish.
Since age 12 I’d been making the same wish at every opportunity – a visit to the Western Wall or, on birthdays, I wished that I could feel happy again. It still hadn’t come true.
“Daniel is out celebrating too. I wonder what he wished for.” Keren couldn’t control herself – I swear Instagram was her whole world.
“I bet he wished for a life more meaningful than one filled with the screams of 16-year-old girls.” Keren didn’t hear me, but Naama and Eli chuckled.
“Amit, can you tell where he is from his story?” she shoved her phone in my face.
I tried to make sense of what I was seeing.
The video repeated every ten seconds, beginning with light boats floating in a lake surrounded by trees and lawns and ending with the American smiling as if he’d won the lottery.
He was in the dark, but his blue eyes and white teeth popped. I snuffed out a tiny spark of interest.
“So? Do you know?”
“Umm…” I spotted a dinosaur on the far side of the lake and then I recognized the place. I used to go there to clear my head when I needed alone time.
“I can’t remember the name of the park, but it’s near home. I’ll take you there if you want.”
“Why didn’t we go there if it’s closer?” Keren almost cried with frustration.
“We can stop there on the way home,” suggested Naama.
“No point. He won’t be there anymore.”
“Chill, Keren, I promise I’ll help you find him next time.”
“But you don’t like him.”
“I don’t. But it’ll be an amusing exercise, and hilarious to see your face when you finally meet him.”
Keren hugged me excitedly, nearly knocking my glasses off.
I got it. When I was 16 I would have hugged anyone who said they’d help me meet Daniel Radcliff.
No one had. Maybe this would give me some closure.
Some people think it’s ridiculous to idolize someone who is just flesh and blood, but they are missing out on one of the most magical experiences.