You know you've been in Israel too long when...

I was waiting for the bus the other morning, heading home after a morning meeting. One of the phrases that you really don't want to hear at any time, especially in the morning pre-coffee, is "chefetz chashood" (חפץ חשוד) which means "suspicious object". This is the phrase used when an unaccompanied package or bag is found somewhere. You know how at the airport they always have that obnoxious announcement: "Please don't leave your belongings unattended. Unattended luggage may be confiscated or destroyed". That policy applies for all of Israel.

So I'm standing at the bus stop, street closed, watching the guys in the bomb squad do a controlled explosion of what is likely someone's school bag, and all I can think is, "...I could be home by now eating breakfast by now".

Because apparently possible explosive devices have become pedestrian. Granted, this is the fourth or fifth time this has happened to me. Everyone else seemed to share my disdain for having their time wasted, aside from the tourists who were fervently filming anything they could. The Israelis were not so much amused, though. It's as good an excuse as any for being late for work, I guess.