Summer Sparks
A TRUE STORY AS TOLD TO CHAVA L. BEER
There are seven things that characterize a boor, and seven that characterize a wise man…His questions are on the subject and his answers to the point.
Pessy:
I know I always say this, but what happened to me was totally for the books. No, really. Listen and you’ll be blown away.
Just last week, I was talking to my friend, future seventh grade teacher and pouring out my heart. It’s already the end of July and I don’t have a clue what I’m going to be doing next year! With several interviews and model lessons behind me and no follow-up, my self-esteem was teetering on the brink. All those schools thought I wasn’t good enough? Or maybe they had found people with more experience? But I was dynamic. Energetic. Confident. Clear. Was someone giving bad information about me? Would I be stuck in September with no job? The thought haunted me. Calm down, Pessy. Hashem has something in store for you. Openings come up at the last minute sometimes. You did all you could; just relax and leave it up to Him. I tried. And for the most part, I succeeded. Throwing myself into my role as
a counselor left me with less brain space to worry about the not-so-distant future. A born camper, I was and am still squeezing the juice out of every moment in this home away from home. I must admit that I love being a high-and-mighty staff member instead of that shnooky camper subjected to a whole bunch of rules and regulations. The first four weeks flew by and then it was time to go home and restock. I don’t just mean my nosh box. Believe it or not, I do miss home (read: my parents) and the comfort of a private room.
I had just removed a load from the dryer when the phone rang. The caller ID announced in its robotic voice: Wireless Caller. It was an unfamiliar number. Was it yet another tzedakah organization or some random guy trying to sell insurance for the pool we didn't own? Curiosity got the better of me, so I picked up. “Can I please speak to Pessy Davidson?” said the heimishesounding voice on the other line…My heart skipped a beat. Was this job related?
Chani:
It was so out of character for me. I mean, I’m not shy but to get up and mix into the conversation of a total stranger? That’s really not my type. Never before have I done that…until last week. But I have no regrets. Because just as silence has a time and place, so does speech.
So, where was I? Actually, it happened on the Excellent Bus heading to the Catskills. I know, you’re wondering why I was in the city altogether. It’s hard to shlep me out of the pool, let alone send me back to the city. For years, I’ve been spending nine weeks in my bungalow colony, reveling in the physical, emotional and social boost that keeps me going all year round. It’s a time I like to forget about the obligations, the ones that can wait, of course. I even skipped my nephew’s son’s bris the other week, even though I was so happy for him and his mother (my favorite sister) because why spend close to six hours on the road just to pump a few hands and say “Mazel Tov, what a nice name!” when I could be swimming and schmoozing and saying tehilim in our circle? But at age 56, I know that health is not something to be played around with. Back in June, when my dentist told me to follow up with x-rays in another six weeks, I sighed, envisioning the hassle of taking a trip to the city smack in the middle of the summer. My mother’s last piece of advice to me was, “Take care of yourself, no one else will,” so I punched the appointment into my phone and tried to push it out of my mind. Until I couldn’t anymore. So I waved goodbye on that Sunday to my tanned countrymates, heading to the bus that would take me to the sticky, polluted city. Armed with a cold water bottle, some reading material and my trusty phone, I comforted myself with the knowledge that I’d be back before long.
Pessy:
“This is Mrs. Gottlieb from Bnos Gittel. Are you available to come in today for an interview?”
Clearing my throat, I responded, “Sure. In regard to what position is this?”
That means no ponytail today. And no camp top either. Well, you gotta do what you gotta do.
“We’ll discuss this at the interview. Would 2:30 pm work for you?”
“Yes, that’s perfect.”
I hung up the phone and felt myself
flying on a cloud. Wow, He hadn’t forgotten about me! Smack in the middle of camp, just when I “happened” to be in town, a school as prestigious as Bnos Gittel was considering me as a member of their staff. It was 12 o’clock already. My plans for a slow-paced day were trashed and I quickly started packing. The bus back to the Catskills would be leaving at 4. That meant that I would have very little time after the meeting to pack my stuff, grab something to eat and head to the bus stop. Well, I always liked action! After updating Mommy on what was going on, I ran out to the avenue to do some errands. It was already 1:45 when I got back home. My heart racing furiously, I sloppily packed my stuff and made myself presentable. After blowing Mommy a kiss and saying a heartfelt amen to her brachos, I was out the door before you could blink.
“It seems you would be the perfect fit as a steady or permanent substitute in our school. That means being on call to step in and take over a class at any grade level.”
A steady sub? Was that normal? I was dreaming of a teaching job. Should I turn them down?
Keeping my cool, I pretended to take this all in stride.
“That sounds interesting. Can I think it over and get back to you?”
“Of course.”
Mrs. Gottlieb walked me to the door and smiled. Once I got to the building’s entrance, I exhaled deeply, the tension of the last few hours hissing out like air of a deflated balloon. By a sheer miracle, I made the bus.
Chani: 12:30 pm found me in the waiting room, perusing the local circulars. Baruch Hashem for air conditioning, though I couldn’t help but picture my countrymates doing their daily laps at the pool. Three people were ahead of me, or so the receptionist told me. “Greenfeld?” the dental assistant called out. I followed her to Room 5, where the dentist was actually
waiting for me. “What brings you here?” Dr. Hollander asked politely. He glanced at my chart and then back at me. “Well, I was told to come here to remove my temporary crown and replace it with a permanent one. Wasn’t that noted in my file?”
The dentist swiveled his chair to face the screen. After what seemed like an eternity, he stood up and addressed me. “Mrs. Greenfeld, there seems to have been a miscommunication here. Your temporary crowns were done at a different practice. As per our policy, we only finish work that we’ve started.”
“But -”
“I know. You wasted a lot of time coming here. I’m sorry for the misunderstanding.”
The assistant looked at me sympathetically as she ushered me out of the room.
So this whole exhausting trip from the country was for nothing? Gam Zu LeTovah, I told myself, bracing for the sweltering heat that would greet me at the door. Down the avenue I walked, stopping to buy a cool, refreshing smoothie. As if that was worth coming to the city for, I kvetched inwardly. Lunch came next, followed by a phone call to the dentist #1. Thankfully, the dentist claimed that my work could wait until after Labor Day, so I booked an appointment sometime in September. The house was eerily quiet and the ticking of the clock, the humming of the fridge and the blowing of the air conditioner were starting to grate on my nerves. And then I noticed the time: 3:00. Excellent is known for its punctuality, so I started to gather my bearings. Glancing at my scribbled list, I went around the house collecting and packing all those sorely missing items. Dental floss, the other phone charger, another sheitel head…
Taking care to shut the air conditioner and lights, I threw some mints into my purse, grabbed my bag and made my way to the bus stop.
Pessy:
I plopped down on a seat in the back,
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hoping for a relatively private ride. Of course, this was the time to tell Rivky about the unexpected turn of events. I desperately needed to talk to her about this opportunity. On the one hand, I didn’t want to say no. Look, a job, even one that sounded less than prestigious, was better than no job, right? Then again, who said a bona fide teaching job wouldn’t come up? Was it worth waiting?
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$60 per pair
“The lady sounded nice. And I do love subbing. But I’m so unsure. Rivky, do you think it makes sense to take this? It’s almost August and then who knows if anything will come up?”
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Rivky listened with all ears, loyal friend that she is. “You sound pretty torn.”
“Yeah - imagine my shidduch resume, job: Permanent sub.”
“But it’s in Bnos Gittel.”
“Kay. Still, it sounds so nebby. I really have to give her an answer soon. My mother told me it’s up to me. Oy, what should I do?”
I tried my sister, Chaya. She’s 10 years older than me, and I really respect her advice. She’s from a different generation, so I don’t always feel like she really gets me, but her levelheadedness has saved me from making rash decisions, more than once.
“You gave three model lessons and none of the principals got back to you, right?”
Ouch.
“Right.”
“Hmmmm…”
“You think I’m not cut out to be a teacher?”
“Not sure. Though this job doesn’t sound bad.”
“So I should take a job that’s not bad? Is that the way to go?”
“I don’t know. Think about it. SorryEli’s crying, I have to hang up.”
They say I talk loudly. I thought I was whispering. The bus wasn’t that full and believe me, plenty of people were yapping on their phones at the same time. Well, what do you know? Someone had been following my conversation. And she had a thing or
the place. Maybe I could spare her the agony of the decision? My input would surely clarify things for her.
So, I strode purposefully to the back seat to fulfill my Heaven-sent mission.
“Um, hi. My name is Chani Greenfeld. I couldn’t help but hear that you’re thinking about working in Bnos Gittel.”
The girl blushed.
“Well, I have to tell you something about Bnos Gittel. I worked there for about 12 years. Actually, I was an assistant in the first grade, then became a rotating substitute teacher, and later a sixth grade teacher.”
Her eyes nearly popped out.
“If they want you, go for it. The place is run like a well-oiled machine. Subbing is a breeze - I know they’ll give you material to teach and will make sure everything works out to the T. Take it from me. Oh, and they always pay on time.”
“Really? So you mean I should take this job?”
“It’s your decision. But I would go for it.”
I went on to tell her how I thought I had come to the city for nothing…and then her eyes really bulged.
“This is totally for the books. Thank you so much for speaking up. I’m gonna call Mrs. Gottlieb right now.”
Hashem’s ways are, indeed, wondrous. Rising above my nature to play a role in
is a
experience, too.
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