Today, Josh and I had a lot of errands to run, and then I dropped him at work. Since I was in the neighborhood….I couldn’t pass up the chance to drop into my favorite clothing store.

While I was on maternity leave over a year ago, Zeli and I discovered Mekimi and went there a number of times. I think I may even have blogged about it. One time when we were there, Zeli was cranky, and the ladies who worked at the store took him out of the stroller to rock him and walk around with him. The next time that I went in, they asked me how Azriel was doing.

So, now, it’s been about a year since they last saw him, and at least six months since I was last in the store. Today, when I walked in, the same woman was working. I smiled at her and walked to the clothing to start browsing. She came right over, smiled and said, “How’s Azriel?”

“You’ve got to be kidding,” I said. “How could you possibly remember my child, and how in the world do you remember his name?!” I might think that he’s the cutest guy in the world – but I do happen to be his mom!

“You don’t forget a child like Azriel,” was her answer. Now, she may very well be a very good saleswoman, and perhaps she’s also good with names, but I, for one, am impressed! I’m tempted to call her supervisor to recommend a raise! I don’t know if these types of things happen elsewhere in the world, but they certainly happen with some frequency here, in Eretz Yisrael!

And…while I have you…one other observation today.

While driving back from my collection of errands, I was stopped at a red light. Who comes bopping down the middle of the road selling books, but a Chasid selling the book, The Garden of Emunah. This is a very spiritual book about how to get closer to Gd and about our relationship with Gd, etc.

Now, where I come from in L.A., the middle of the street is reserved for Mexicans selling things to hang in your rearview mirror; in South Carolina it’s reserved for guys selling boiled (pronounced Bowled) peanuts. And in Israel? Well, of course, it’s the location for that religious guy selling a popular book about spirituality. Hysterical.