The Devil and the Brownie

So we went to the lawyer today (see Cellular Agony for details of why). My husband can’t deal with this. It is too much pressure and angers him no end. Elie has been involved with this for some time, so he and I went. Because it is Friday morning, it’s a crazy day to go, but it worked out with other things.

We did the shopping before, some preparations. We threw the soup on the stove. Shmulik and Davidi made the chicken; the rest waited until I got home. On the way back, we decided to stop at a store that has ready made foods and salads. We bought two salads and then I saw a package, “American brownies.” Israelis tend to put the word “American” on anything they want to sell as a quality package.

There are American shnitzels – breaded chicken cutlets fried in oil. I never had it in America, but apparently, it’s American. But the brownies looked good, so I took a small box. We drove home and stopped to get gas. As we were waiting in line to get gas, I offered him one half a brownie and took the other half for myself. They were amazingly chocolate, amazingly frosted, amazingly good. The line moved forward slowly. This is a weekly thing, as people line up to get the free newspaper (a savings of several dollars) given free if you get over 150 NIS of gas. With gas prices at roughly $7.00 a gallon, you take what you can get, and a free newspaper in Israel on Friday is much thicker than the rest of the week – sort of like the Sunday paper in the United States.

There are changes in Elie since he went and came back from the army. One of the most amazing ones is how he treats me. There is a new awareness that he is stronger and so he carries things for me, will even take things I am carrying. And he will fill the car with gas when we go to the gas station. I offered and, as I expected, he said he would do it.

He popped the gas tank cover, circled the car and then asked for the credit card. I knew he would need it and so had it ready. He reached in…and took my remaining little piece of brownie that was in my hand, popped it into his mouth, and took the credit card.

He was all smiles. I harrumpphed! I took another small piece from another brownie and before he could reach in, I locked my door and took a bite in full view of a still grinning Elie. He smiled, the devil, and held up the key to the car. He used the control to unlock the door I had just locked and still laughing, grabbed another piece.

These are the moments I cherish in the relationship we have built. It is interesting as a parent to grow a bit older and watch as your son grows a bit stronger. When they are young, you carry the burden and whatever they do is a bonus. So when shopping, you find a light bag and give it to them so they can feel they are helping. It is an amazing moment in your life when it is you taking the light bag.

As for the brownies, they never made them to the Shabbat table – they were very good, very fudgy, and well worth the grin and the laugh when Elie successfully stole that little piece.

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