So, I was reading about the weather on VIN. It seems, according to the VIN article, that we only had about 24 inches of snow. I can't believe, I'm such a baby and I'm staying inside, for TWO MEASLY FEET OF SNOW. You have to understand, I'm from Buffalo. During the "Storm Of The Century that took place in November of 2000, they had predicted 2 to 4 inches of snow-nothing by Buffalo standards. People made the joke that when they said 2 to 4 inches, they made a mistake and that instead it was 2 to 4 feet. It was actually about 2 to 4 inches an hour combined with high winds, lightning, rush hour traffic and idiots who should know how to drive in it (all Buffalonians should), but they didn't. Since some of these idiots were bus drivers, many buses went sideways blocking the roads.
I had been working at the time at a customer service call center. A small number of us stayed in a hotel that night and actually went back to work the next day. They turned off the phones and put on a recording that we were closed because of the weather. We didn't have enough staff to handle incoming calls but we returned calls, instead. One woman I had been dealing with the previous day, I called her back and she said she had just called and gotten the recording that we were closed. I had to explain it to her. She was thrilled she happened to be on the desk of someone that was working that day. The buses weren't runing and I couldn't get home (I didn't have a car then for some reason) so, I ended up staying with a co-worker and her family. I used a barbie sweater maker with one her daughters.
Hmmm.... it's funny how a casual acquaintance was so welcoming.... Often Jews act like they are the only ones, but this non-Jewish co-worker extended hospitality that I haven't really seen from most Jews.
In your opinion, how do the following rank on a scale of 1 (horrible) to 5 (awesome):
ReplyDeleteA. Real turkey with real cheese (I wouldn't know)
B. Real turkey with fake cheese
C. Fake turkey with real cheese
D. Fake turkey with fake cheese? (Don't ask me anyone would want this.)
Y'know, I had a good laugh while reading your post (until the end, but I'll talk about that soon). I'm from somewhere where that amount of snow is also "measly" but now that I've lived in NY for so long, I can't deal with it! I never liked the cold and the snow is just too much of a bother for me to enjoy, but wow, it's amazing how quickly we adapt and forget.
ReplyDeleteHm, funny I mentioned that last bit, huh? Do you remember how you felt about Judaism and Jews when you first converted? It probably (hopefully) wasn't how you feel about it now. A couple years later, and all you're seeing is the bad. Look for the good! Look at all of the frum people milling around the streets helping people (any people! I saw it with my own eyes today...). A frum guy stood from 9 AM until at least 5 PM today directing traffic and offering advice in the middle of a busy intersection in Brooklyn. There's so much to see if you just look!
I could tell you dozens, if not hundreds, of stories that have happened to me since I moved to NY. Chessed, Shabbos meals, a kind word, support, etc.
You've written one story of a kind thing that happened to you. There are hundreds of gemachs in Brooklyn alone let alone the rest of the frum world and you bring me one example of chessed by a non-Jewish person? Ya, there are kind, generous non-Jewish people. But you'll probably find that there is a lot more day-to-day chessed that goes on in the frum world (statistically) than in the non-Jewish world.
Good luck getting more milk! :)
Response to Kew Gardener (on Michal's behalf):
ReplyDeleteIn your opinion, how do the following rank on a scale of 1 (horrible) to 5 (awesome):
A. Being a social dope and having no tact (I wouldn't know)
B. Being a tactful social dope
C. Being a tactless social butterfly
D. Having enough tact and sense to read the history and posts on this blog before you write such an idiotic 'comment'.
And to round out my mashal, let me add to "D" above:
(Don't ask me how anyone like you can be so stupid and senseless to post such a comment here)
Actually, the number of people that used to stop by and help me get my car out of the driveway was incredible. Likewise, I carried a kiddie snow shovel in my trunk so I did once or twice stop and help people who were stuck in the snow. Though, usually, someone else stopped before me. When we would be going places, my father would stop and tow people out of ditches. He had chains in his truck so it was no trouble. He would say that it was the right thing to do. He was actually an atheist and for sure had his flaws.
ReplyDeleteI mean some Jews have been extra kind to me but too many times I've just been insulted. I've been insulted enough to make me wish I never converted. Gee, I wonder why the BTs go back off the derech.....