mardi 14 février 2012

BROTHER WHERE ARE YOU? YOUR GIFTS ARE ATTRACTING ATTENTION

This afternoon I had a chance encounter with Dr J, a visiting academic from Australia.. who is doing research into the social context of the first Rajah of Sarawak..
After we were reasonably acquainted in the effervescent company of Nelson, he said, I cant help admiring your shirt..
I thanked my brother, Eliyahu, living in Portland, who has supplied me with shirts ever since we began traveling together in 2001. (alas it ended in 2005.. but we did manage to get to Chile Bolivia Brasil Argentina Myanmar Singapore Cambodia Laos Vietnam)
When you are jewish, you either become a doctor or sell shmatta.. go into clothing business!!@!  but whatever you do, do it well, and make sure you support your family?
My brother, a sweet sweet brother he is, married to a very well known nephrologist in town, is good at what he does, selecting the finest shirts and sweaters to be sold on line...
Each time I travel to meet him, he has a few shirts for me.. This Risotto shirt, of some form of silk, made in Italy obviously attracted the attention of my new friend from Downunder..
If you want the shirt, I said, i will give it to you right now.. because it is brand new, I just opened it this morning.
No, I cant take the shirt off your back.. Then to the mirth of Nelson and  Dr J.. i recapitulated the time in Copacabana Beach when I was walking with my brother, wearing very proudly one of his silk shirt donations to my life.. of havana and cuba, tambores and cars .. etc etc  when he asked me, do you how much I shlepp these shirts for?  I optimistically answered, being the socialist of cuba that I am.. 40 dollars?  No, I sell them for 125 dollars.. I took off my shirt, despite the danger of attracting unwanted attraction at Copacabana, walking aong half naked.. I really dont want to wear a shirt that costs 125 dollars.. but that is the price that i sell it for, it is not worth that much, how is a Jew supposed to live?
Only then did i put the shirt on..
I would have gladly given my friend the shirt off my back but he wouldnt accept it..so I did the next best thing..
I request you, my dear brother Eliyahu, please keep a shirt Risotto silk the type i am wearing on this photo, so that I will come and get it from you and will mail it to Dr J in Australia..
It will bring him some naches and we would have done our mitzvah   (naches and mitzvah are jewish words)

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