I was low on funds as usual. Anytime my daughter is low, I give her my last dollar. Yet that is what a good Jewish father has to do. The old Jewish store front shares space with a Chinese laundry. No doubt the Jews became fond of Chinese food since they worked side by side. The little Jewish Church is on Third and Island, to the south of the Gas Lamp area.
Sam the Taxi Man invited me to Sabbath services Friday night. I looked forward to a kosher meal. The small store front was packed. Comic-Com had brought believers inside the little store front. As always, I enjoyed the chants and songs of years ago.
At the end of his service, he gave one of his better presentations, no doubt to engage the new throng of visitors to his sanctuary. I will attempt to paraphrase the main themes. I sat in the back with Sam the Fisher Man and followed the Hebrew but did not understand the words. To bad I never got the Old Testament without English words on top. I will try to paraphrase his speech.
"This morning I felt scared. I saw a throng of people outside my holy store screaming for Israel to make Palestine an independent state. What they didn't understand was one Jewish death has an important meaning to us. Hamas and other fanatical groups have no remorse about killing. They wish to make a name for themselves by blowing up buildings, airplanes and anything. Some wish death so that they can have sex with a thousand virgins."
His speech was interrupted by the sound of Pedicabs and much of the throng of comical looking characters to our town. A burly, hairy, shirtless man entered towing his wife and child from behind. He reminded me of the comic strip Popeye the Sailor man's arch enemy, Bluto. I thought it rather repugnant for one to enter this holy sea dressed this way. I again tuned into the Rabbi's speech.
"When somebody is killed by accident, he must go to a far off place for a period of time to atone for his sins. Otherwise the dead man's relatives can kill him. We as Jews value life, but the terrorists value death."
I looked forward to the Kiddish after the evening service. But it was not to be. It was going on Ten O'clock, way past my bedtime. And besides, I was stuck on the corner, to make room for some forgettable faces. And besides, my appetite was quashed by the shirtless man. I did not wish any of his chesty hairs to mix with my salad.
Instead, I bolted out the door and stopped at Ralph's for their eight piece chicken on special for five and change and a bag of cherries. It would have to do for now, even though heart burn would greet me the next morning.
Well, if you are still with me, it is another hot and Monsoony Day in lovely San Diego. I survived the crush to enter the library and here I am doing what I do best, making music with words. Later I may take the #685 Coaster to Del Mar. It leaves at 12:27 and drops you off at Solana Beach. From there a elevator drops you off at the double-decked buses.
Of course I will not bet, or too much. A family member needed a few bucks so I have to nickle and dime it until the end of the month.
Nuts and Bolts from San Diego: I was told by Manager Bobby that the Y is going to be demolished. What a shame that Mayor Pro-Temp Gloria Okay-ed the deal-at least that was I was told. And the president of HUD never did help us find a suitable replacement. Second Floor Steve now lives outside on Hawthorne and the Pacific Highway....There is also the possibility that the new owners are going to flick it to another one...Bob Korn and HUD us non-existent today. Again the number one problem for San Diego is its lack of A/C's in most of the hotels. San Diego has the worst air quality of any city in the nation which means hat sirens run unabated during our hot spells in August through October.
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