His friend arrived, though he himself still had a full week to work before he could get time off. He'd made a deal with his boss in which he'd finish working a week before the end of December so he could spend time with his friend and then, after he'd left, he'd make up the final week's work he was supposed to do.
His first 'last' day at work passed in a drunken haze. Instead of working a night shift, he'd planned it so his final shift was a Thursday afternoon finishing at 7pm. He'd be working alongside a good Russian friend and they'd both agreed to bring something to drink. And so they did. A mammoth ten hour session.
They took it easy though as they still had to do the work, and it could be a dangerous place in normal times let alone after a few drinks. The work was done - probably better than usual. By the time he left at 11pm he was really kicking. He'd no idea how much vodka they'd put away nor really cared, he just knew he was a free person for the next two and a half weeks.

His friends had phoned to let him know they'd be waiting in his room for when he finished working. He got back to see they'd kept true to their word and headed straight for the fridge, pulling out the bottles of vodka and Coke to pour himself a drink. "Why stop now?" he asked, and laughed.
It was almost six in the morning before he went to bed.

He was up again at half past ten feeling, strangely, really refreshed. No ill effects from the previous day's drinking at all. He left his friend sleeping while he went to eat lunch. He was still asleep upon his return.
It was two in the afternoon, he didn't want to disturb the sleeper but was eager to put on some music. The first few bars of Pearl Jam's 'Last Exit' escaped from the stereo. Pulling aside the curtain dividing the two rooms he shouted at his friend, "C'mon man. Get up you lazy fucker."
"Don't worry. I'm awake..... now," came the sleepy reply.
His friend looked in a bad way - too much drink possibly, or maybe he wasn't used to the coarse vodka. He took him up to lunch. Maybe that would help. A huge plate of food later, they sat back with a coffee each and he answered more of his friend's questions about the kibbutz.
It was a fine day, not the wet and windy weather they'd suffered for the past couple of weeks so they took a walk round the kibbutz. The fresh air helping to clear his friend's head. They climbed up a lookout tower from which the view was astounding. They could see for miles around - down into the valley and to the distant hills.