Page 120 - issue
P. 120
Hurdles continued from page 108 you’re still a free bird” and more laugh- out, but still she wished that her
were compatible enough for marriage.” ter. daughter would confide in her instead
of running off with friends.
What did that mean? And why was it She knew that they were talking
Michoel who had noticed this? Wasn’t about Rusi’s failed shidduch and it felt She remembered that morning’s
Rusi interested in getting married? Why extremely inappropriate. Never mind conversation with the shadchan. When
wasn’t she attentive to the fact that the the laughter and joking. Couldn’t Rusi she’d repeated the gist of it to her
boy that she’d been dating (three discuss her pain with her mother? daughter, she’d been waiting to see if
dates!) was incompatible with her? Rusi would break down or show hurt in
Was she even in any pain? some way. Instead, Rusi had simply
According to the shadchan, “Rusi is Obviously not. shrugged, and Chana was still feeling
far more outgoing than Michoel. She’s For Rusi, it seemed, dating was bewildered by her reaction. Hadn’t Rusi
a wonderful girl, he said, but he’s inter- merely a pastime. For Chana it symbol- come home the night before all geared
ested in someone a bit more reserved.” ized a corridor into another world. For up for another date? Didn’t she have
Rusi, it represented another way to fill any hopes pinned on this shidduch?
Chana felt as though the weight of her time. “Don’t worry,” Chana had said. “There
the entire world was on her shoulders. Or maybe she was simply being too are other boys.”
She had known for years that Rusi was hard on her daughter.
outgoing. Far, far more outgoing than The patter of footsteps sounded “I know,” Rusi had said. “I just hope
her reticent mother. But…did outgoing from the basement, and Chana looked that I don’t have to wait so long until
mean dense? If Michoel was quieter up from the necklace she was creating. I’m set up again as I had to wait this
than her and viewed life through a dif- “Ma, we’re going out.” time around.” Her tone had been bit-
ferent lens, shouldn’t Rusi have realized Chana searched her daughter’s face, ing.
that? Shouldn’t she have raised that hoping for a clue as to what was going
issue with her mother? on in her heart. So Rusi was bitter. Angry at her
“We need to use the free time that mother for not being proactive enough.
Rusi hadn’t mentioned any reserva- we have on our hands,” Etty said with a But did Rusi want to get married?
tions. What was this? A game? Didn’t laugh. Chana wondered, as she strung three
Rusi realize that she was dating to get Chana looked at her daughter’s barrel beads in a row onto the necklace.
married? And that marriage was for friend with a critical eye. Rusi and Etty Was her daughter even ready to get mar-
life? had been on okay terms back in high ried? Or was the pain of losing her father
school, but now their friendship at a young age clouding her thinking?
Chana bit her lip. She was in the seemed a tad overdone. Rusi claimed
middle of her favorite hobby: beadwork. that Etty was the only one “half her Chana finished stringing the
Choosing the right colors and thread- type” that wasn’t married yet and that bracelet together and knotted it. Rusi’s
ing them onto a fine piece of string the two singles had to “stick together.” pain was an angle that she hadn’t con-
always did wonders when it came to Chana eyed Etty’s gaudy purple and sidered earlier. Until then she’d consid-
clearing her thoughts. lime-green handbag and her chunky ered Rusi’s pushiness an integral part
gold earrings. She wished that her of her personality. A part that, though
She chose two bright yellow atlas daughter’s choice of friends was more Chana hated to admit it, she didn’t
beads and added a handful of green in line with her own style. If only Etty really like about her daughter. But now,
and orange barrel beads to the neck- weren’t so loud... she was suddenly unsure if Rusi had
lace she was making for Heidi’s six- Chana flicked a few beads and tried always been this pushy before Nosson
year-old granddaughter. Was marriage to push her thoughts away in like man- had died.
always for life? In her case it hadn’t ner. “Oh, where are you going?”
been. She was only forty-eight. Young Rusi seemed to tense at the ques- Maybe hadn’t Rusi always been this
enough… tion, and Chana could almost hear her aggravating?
daughter’s resentment. She hated
Young enough to want to start again. being questioned about her comings Or maybe, and this was more likely,
Chana pushed the yellow atlas bead and goings. Thankfully, Etty’s presence Nosson had acted as that buffer
onto the string a little more forcefully seemed to have a calming effect on her. between her own delicate personality
than she had intended. Why was she “We’re going out to O’Hey’s for ice and her daughter’s more abrasive one.
thinking of herself? She’d started out cream,” Etty said, her voice matter-of-
this mental conversation talking about fact. Chana closed her beading kit and
Rusi, who definitely needed to show “Enjoy.” Chana waved. She watched sighed.
more maturity and preparedness for them leave. It was good for Rusi to be
married life. getting over whatever hopes she might Crafts, baking, wearing an elegant
The laughter floating up from the have placed in this shidduch working sheitel indoors. How much longer
basement grated on Chana’s nerves. would all of the pretenses hold up?
Rusi and her friend Etty Taub were How much longer before her emotions
down there, and their youthful sound- took a tumble?
ing giggles were about to send her over
the edge. She could hear the words “So The phone rang, and Chana silently
blessed it for the reprieve from her
dour mood.
112 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
were compatible enough for marriage.” ter. daughter would confide in her instead
of running off with friends.
What did that mean? And why was it She knew that they were talking
Michoel who had noticed this? Wasn’t about Rusi’s failed shidduch and it felt She remembered that morning’s
Rusi interested in getting married? Why extremely inappropriate. Never mind conversation with the shadchan. When
wasn’t she attentive to the fact that the the laughter and joking. Couldn’t Rusi she’d repeated the gist of it to her
boy that she’d been dating (three discuss her pain with her mother? daughter, she’d been waiting to see if
dates!) was incompatible with her? Rusi would break down or show hurt in
Was she even in any pain? some way. Instead, Rusi had simply
According to the shadchan, “Rusi is Obviously not. shrugged, and Chana was still feeling
far more outgoing than Michoel. She’s For Rusi, it seemed, dating was bewildered by her reaction. Hadn’t Rusi
a wonderful girl, he said, but he’s inter- merely a pastime. For Chana it symbol- come home the night before all geared
ested in someone a bit more reserved.” ized a corridor into another world. For up for another date? Didn’t she have
Rusi, it represented another way to fill any hopes pinned on this shidduch?
Chana felt as though the weight of her time. “Don’t worry,” Chana had said. “There
the entire world was on her shoulders. Or maybe she was simply being too are other boys.”
She had known for years that Rusi was hard on her daughter.
outgoing. Far, far more outgoing than The patter of footsteps sounded “I know,” Rusi had said. “I just hope
her reticent mother. But…did outgoing from the basement, and Chana looked that I don’t have to wait so long until
mean dense? If Michoel was quieter up from the necklace she was creating. I’m set up again as I had to wait this
than her and viewed life through a dif- “Ma, we’re going out.” time around.” Her tone had been bit-
ferent lens, shouldn’t Rusi have realized Chana searched her daughter’s face, ing.
that? Shouldn’t she have raised that hoping for a clue as to what was going
issue with her mother? on in her heart. So Rusi was bitter. Angry at her
“We need to use the free time that mother for not being proactive enough.
Rusi hadn’t mentioned any reserva- we have on our hands,” Etty said with a But did Rusi want to get married?
tions. What was this? A game? Didn’t laugh. Chana wondered, as she strung three
Rusi realize that she was dating to get Chana looked at her daughter’s barrel beads in a row onto the necklace.
married? And that marriage was for friend with a critical eye. Rusi and Etty Was her daughter even ready to get mar-
life? had been on okay terms back in high ried? Or was the pain of losing her father
school, but now their friendship at a young age clouding her thinking?
Chana bit her lip. She was in the seemed a tad overdone. Rusi claimed
middle of her favorite hobby: beadwork. that Etty was the only one “half her Chana finished stringing the
Choosing the right colors and thread- type” that wasn’t married yet and that bracelet together and knotted it. Rusi’s
ing them onto a fine piece of string the two singles had to “stick together.” pain was an angle that she hadn’t con-
always did wonders when it came to Chana eyed Etty’s gaudy purple and sidered earlier. Until then she’d consid-
clearing her thoughts. lime-green handbag and her chunky ered Rusi’s pushiness an integral part
gold earrings. She wished that her of her personality. A part that, though
She chose two bright yellow atlas daughter’s choice of friends was more Chana hated to admit it, she didn’t
beads and added a handful of green in line with her own style. If only Etty really like about her daughter. But now,
and orange barrel beads to the neck- weren’t so loud... she was suddenly unsure if Rusi had
lace she was making for Heidi’s six- Chana flicked a few beads and tried always been this pushy before Nosson
year-old granddaughter. Was marriage to push her thoughts away in like man- had died.
always for life? In her case it hadn’t ner. “Oh, where are you going?”
been. She was only forty-eight. Young Rusi seemed to tense at the ques- Maybe hadn’t Rusi always been this
enough… tion, and Chana could almost hear her aggravating?
daughter’s resentment. She hated
Young enough to want to start again. being questioned about her comings Or maybe, and this was more likely,
Chana pushed the yellow atlas bead and goings. Thankfully, Etty’s presence Nosson had acted as that buffer
onto the string a little more forcefully seemed to have a calming effect on her. between her own delicate personality
than she had intended. Why was she “We’re going out to O’Hey’s for ice and her daughter’s more abrasive one.
thinking of herself? She’d started out cream,” Etty said, her voice matter-of-
this mental conversation talking about fact. Chana closed her beading kit and
Rusi, who definitely needed to show “Enjoy.” Chana waved. She watched sighed.
more maturity and preparedness for them leave. It was good for Rusi to be
married life. getting over whatever hopes she might Crafts, baking, wearing an elegant
The laughter floating up from the have placed in this shidduch working sheitel indoors. How much longer
basement grated on Chana’s nerves. would all of the pretenses hold up?
Rusi and her friend Etty Taub were How much longer before her emotions
down there, and their youthful sound- took a tumble?
ing giggles were about to send her over
the edge. She could hear the words “So The phone rang, and Chana silently
blessed it for the reprieve from her
dour mood.
112 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
