Something broke in me today. I knew I should stay home and get ready for a really hectic week. But I couldn’t concentrate on anything after finishing a long difficult article on writing in English in Israel. And even though Ezi begged to stay in bed I ran out to the Seven Star Mall. There I visited every dress shop and found nothing interesting and unusual. Everything is more of the same. It certainly was worth the traffic jam I got into, So many people in the mall, so many cars on the roads. Of course, I should have known this. Of course, there are no interesting new fashions. Of course, the people who come to visit are far more interesting than the people in the mall. But it is interesting to note that all the salespeople are Arab and all the cleaners are African – illegal refugees who before the Corona would have had to hide from the authorities. But now the authorities are changing. And one can always manage a warm conversation with salespeople.

me: do you have this in my size?

saleswoman: 40?

me: before corona.

saleswoman: 42?

me: we’ll see.

saleswoman: let’s try.

me: (from dressing room) one leg goes in

saleswoman: shall i get you another pair…. for the other leg?

me: (from dressing room) no chance

saleswoman: there’s always a chance. we may even have a new government tomorrow. You just have to hold in your stomach.

me: or maybe hold your nose.

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