I have two places where i absolutely wanted to go.
Lee Ave
- Bookstore
Last time, there was this old man with white hair and peyos. Probably nicer if there were not all these men around him who looked at him if he was too friendly with a shiksa.
The store was empty and there was a young man. I am not able to guess their age because of their hirsute face which makes them older.
He had red cheeks like kids have when they played with excitement. Glasses of course.
I started to have a look on the Yiddish games they have, especially the Monopoly.
I came to him, thinking it will be this old man, and i saw this young man. He remained cautious when he saw a woman first, and also a shiksa.
Once again, i couldn't remember the exact title of the song and i was checking out on my phone when a woman and her daughter came in and i told them to go first. It took time because of the bad network in the store.
Then they left.
I came back to the man and told him the right title.
He repeated it with the good pronunciation. I ask too for a CD of Schlomo Carlebach.
Ah! he loved Schlomo Carlebach and started to smile.
Behind him there CDs and also tapes.
He told me that they didn't sell Schlomo Carlebach in this store. There is a sort of controversy.
The Satmerers love him but…
Two men came in. So i letted them to ask what they wanted because i felt the young man uncomfortable. The two had no expression on their face, they were surprised to see a shiksa laughing…
One left and the other stays.
I resumed my conversation, and i asked him if he can have a look to the CD to find one with old Yiddish songs. He started to hum 'Chasdei Hashem Ki Lo Samnu' with all his heart. I told him and i could feel that he actually loved Carlebach 's songs. He forgot there was the other man in the store.
He checked all the CD. None for me, there were only musical CD without lyrics. He asked me if i spoke Yiddish.
I asked him if he was a troublemaker in the community, he laughed.
He was on a ladder to take an old version of the Yiddish Monopoly. I asked him if he wanted some help. He says no because there was the other man. :-)
I loved the embarrassed way he told me the price of this game like it was too expensive.
He secured the perimeter. Honestly, that was a great moment. He was very helpful. He wrote on a post-it the two stores in Boro Park where i can find this music and, also i can download them from their website.
He was laughing when he put the Monopoly in two big bags to secure it.
If they reject him from the community because he is too nice with shikse, i will adopt him for sure.
- Bakery store
This time, it was a lady very helpul with a big smile. I could ask all the questions about products she was selling. Finally i bought a chocolate danish that i ate for my breakfast this morning. Not bad but too rich.
- Vitamins store
The store was empty when i came in. I am fascinated that there are stores only for vitamins. Most of them seems to be bullshit in their composition. We need to believe in the effects of them.
There was an old man, very quiet who asked me fast what i was looking for.
-'Iron'.
He showed me two boxes, a small and a big one.
-'Anemic?' he asked.
-'Yes'
-'One could be enough but if you are anemic, you can take two during the meal'.
On my way to the cashier i asked with a big smile: 'Are they Kosher?'
-'Yes, they are'.
He is the son of a survivor, but he arrived in USA in 1957 with his parents. He was born in 1947 in Hungary. Not all the survivors left their country during or just after the war. He is a Satmerer. I told him my background. He asked me if i got converted. 'No' and 'Not yet'. :-)
-'Where do you live?'
-'Crown Heights'
-'You have all the Jews you need there'.
-'Not really, my heart goes to strict sects'.
Two women came in and he felt embarrassed and uncomfortable to talk to me.
I resumed the conversation a little and told him that one of my dream is to share a Shabbos meal with a Satmar family. I left because he was scared.
This man and the one from the bookstore were surprised when i told them that i have few Satmerer friends from Willy.
If these pills don't make me sick i will get back to his store soon.
On my way to the Satmar meat supermarket, i met a woman who insisted and turned back to look at me. I came besides her and say hello.
She was going to the same place.
-Meat market
Small place with lots of stuffs. I was more attracted by all the cooked products with Yiddish names.
I had a look to the raw meat and i bumped into this lady that i met outside. She said: 'Your face is familiar.' Ohlala, i hide a lot to remain discreet and a lady recognizes me.
-'Maybe we met at the shul. Are you from Pupa?'
-'No, no'.
Her face looked familiar too and, i felt that it was not at the shul. On my way back home in the B44, i had a click: it was in this bus and i helped her and i think, her sister to go to a store in Midwood or BP.
I showed them on my phone where to stop, and i was wrong the first time so i got back to them to tell them where they had to stop exactly.
At the meat store, she was scared of going further in the conversation.
I spent my time asking questions to a Mexican guy and finally bought some stuffs i knew or not.
I enjoy the way they all looked at me like i was an alien from another planet. They love my red shoes. :-)
I made a stop at the new chocolate store. Chocolate is expensive, Kosher or not.
On my way back, it was not easy to move in the street, there was a field of strollers. I thought that i could buy one and put a big doll in it to go for a race with all of them.
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