What happens at my weekly Shabbos Tehillim group? As long as we’re reciting Tehillim, I’m fine, but once the chitchat begins, I’m out of there,
RATHER BE Maybe like me they hate chitchat and unless we’re talking meaningfully they’d really prefer to be home reading a book
My brother is hosting a Shabbos bris for his first grandson. The Friday night meal is called for 7 p.m. At 7:40 I walk in with my nine-year-old daughter Mindy. We’re among the first guests to arrive.
I go over to my sister-in-law kiss her cheek and say mazel tov. She introduces me to her mechuteneste. Of course we met at the wedding last year but as the other proud bubby points out at the time she didn’t have the head to remember names and faces. She’s happy to now spend Shabbos with our family and get to know us.
I smile and nod trying to come up with something interesting to add. I can’t think of anything so I just keep smiling until my lips feel frozen into a snowman’s grin. (All I need is a pipe!) Thankfully just then the mechuteneste’s grandchild careens through the door and as she looks up I grab the chance to slip away. I don’t speak to her again the entire Shabbos.
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