Marc was sitting on his chair with his Talmud. He took a break from seeing his “girlfriends”. He kept working, going to the gym, watching baseball, and praying. Years ago, an older rabbi, who happens to be kohanim told him to spend more time learning. He told him stories about how it helped other folks.
He decided to give it a shot. He read quite a bit about the blessings, Shabbos, and fruits of the Holy Land. He found himself getting stronger. He still questioned things. But he read about his weapons — barley, honey and pomegranates, and their importance. He found himself eating these items more often.
He hadn’t had to fight anyone in a few weeks. But he trained and found when he shot out his weapons (he practiced in his apartment) they were hitting their targets with more finesse. He did find strength in the spirituality of things. That’s why as a scout he loved the Order of the Arrow’s rituals so much.
He put his Talmud down and hopped into his car. On his ride up to his old college campus, he planned his next trip to Jerusalem.
He drove down Main Street and saw the same bars he went to as a college kid. He saw some new ones in the place of the old haunts. And of course, “Gourmet Pizza” was still there. “Wings and Things” was gone.
He exited his vehicle and walked across campus. He was in awe of the new buildings, both residence halls, and academic centers. He went to the bridges that sat above the famous “gunk”. Thoughts drifted back into his head when he was a pledge and had to say a poem and bow before crossing each bridge.
He remembered when some of his friends puked their guts up into the gunk, watching some of the tougher frats and sororities make their pledges jump in. And some special moments he had with his girlfriend on one of the bridges. Those were the days. He spent a few hours walking across campus.
Meanwhile, Jen was sitting at her piano. She hadn’t played in a long time. But decided she would practice and maybe play one night in a bar. Alana was strolling Soho. Siouxsie and the Banshees were playing on her phone. She had flashbacks to when she dressed like Siouxsie Sioux. She went to a yoga spa. She’d been going there for a few days. She found it unwinding. And she felt her powers growing as she was deep in her posture.
She had her night with Tzipora deeply embedded in her mind. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to try again. She considered herself very fortunate that she had the chance. She wondered if she should meet some new guy, settle down and have a kid. Her clock is ticking. So is Jen’s.
Earlier today, I sat on the couch and watched my Depeche Mode 101 DVD. That’s the concert documentary that DM put out in ’89. It features the amazing tunes they played during the Music for the Masses tour.
Mitchell's thoughts, photos, etc. 