Surfing with Dr, Paskowitz

Submitted by Michael Bernet (United States), Dec 31, 2007 at 12:38

That's Doctor Dorian Paskowitz, a genuine licensed physician who originally came to Hawaii as a US medical officer for the Army or the Navy. I think his job had to do with venereal diseases or prostiution. He told me a well-known musical of the early 1950s was based on him.

Dorian and I shared a home in the remains of a wooden barge on the beach of Eilat in the spring/summer of 1957, right after the end of the Sinai War, a few steps from the mud-brick structure that had once been the British police post, Um Rashrash. Dorian was a delightful companion and great storyteller. He caught the fish for our meals; I provided transportation into town on my motor scooter and paid for the frying oil for the fish. After surfing, fishing and wenching, Dorian's great delight was to set his farts on fire.

I had come to Eilat to escape an intolerable marriage, then found my employment as engineering assistant for the Solel Boneh construction complex (I helped, inter alia, with the construction of the new oil port and terminal) even more intolerable, and had just been hired as a stringer by the Jerusalem Post. Thanks to Dorian's skills, I was never starved for food or female companionship.

Dorian's greatest failure was his inability to understand the rules that the rest of the world thought important. The Israel government was seeking a doctor for Eilat to staff the 3-room hospital it was putting together. Dorian applied for the job and added: "I don't need to get paid for my work. I want to show my gratitude for all the wonderful Israeli girls I've ...." He was genuinely surprised that he wasn't even invited for an interview.

Incidentally, he has 8 or 9 sons, all working with him at his surfing school on the California beach. You can google for him there.

Dorian's gesture in Gaza was totally in character. Crazy guy but lovable for his childlike ability to see goodness and tolerance where it doesn't exist.

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