Kach!

I went shopping last Friday. I prefer going to the local green grocery and tiny market (Makolet), yet for some strange reason I found myself in Super Center. Yuck. I think it was because I needed to buy cereal and something in the back of my head (my autopilot) said, "Cereal -- large grocery store!"Its not that you cannot get cereal in the Makolet, but a few weeks back I bought some Cherrios at the Makolet and they tasted stale. Chief investigator Dena eventually solved the mystery by looking at the expiration date on the box.... October 2006. She theorized that Moty at the Makolet bought the box of Cherrios for his American clientelle (Dena & Jason). Once we left town in July 2006, there was nobody else interested in buying. That is, until we showed up 12 months later.

But back to the main story line. I wandered around Super Center picking out cukes, tomatos, lettuce (for the salad on shabbas), and lots of fruit (for the fruit salad we were to bring to the Mirchin's). I picked up some Challah, cereal, and whatever else I could think of. I carefully picked the shortest line, but because of Murphy (who I did not know was also to be found in Israel), it happened to be the slowest moving one. Yes, it wasn't long be before it was the longest line. Well after finally passing all my produce over the scale, and scanning the cereal, I started bagging everything. The woman behind me then notices a tomato on the floor, and points it out to me. I look at it, but I know it isn't mine. I pay careful attention when I pick my tomatoes, even if i have no intention of eating them. I pick it up anyway, because I figure it shouldn't be on the ground, "Zeh lo sheli (It's not mine)," and I place it on the convey of the cashier in the next lane over since that lane is closed. The woman looks at me and says, "Kach (take it)". "Zeh lo sheli". Well, this is Israel, right? Next thing you know my cashier, returns my credit card and says, "Kach". Not to be out done, the customer in the next lane over starts in with "Kach!". What am I going to do? The whole super market was about to riot. I picked up the tomato and put into my bag. "Shabbat Shalom".

As if that we're not enough, just yesterday, Dani is making himself lunch and he picks up the tomato. "This one looks a little funny?" "Yeah... I know, it's not really ours. I never would have picked it such an ugly tomato but I had no choice."