As retold by Bruce Lowitt

A young Associated Press reporter assigned to the Jerusalem bureau takes an apartment overlooking the Western Wall. Every day when she looks out, she sees an old Jewish man praying vigorously. Finally, after watching this for weeks, she introduces herself to the old man.

"You come every day to the wall. What are you praying for and how long have you been doing this?"

"I have come here to pray every day for 25 years. In the morning I pray for peace in the Middle East. I go home have a glass tea, and come back and pray again that Jews and Arabs will live peaceably side by side.

The young journalist is amazed.

"What does it feel like," she asks, "coming  here every day for 25 years and praying for peace?"

"How does it feel? "Like I'm talking to a wall."