THE PASSOVER OF MY NEIGHBORS

Dear Auntie Patti Koh,

I was off for two days, and spent the day cleaning my backyard and the front lawn. There were plenty of dried leaves to rake and bagged. When I was done, I was able to fill up six tall, recycable lawn bags. My back was aching and really killing me. I am too old for this.

Then I took a shower and went on to pick up my wife at her friends house in Chicago. I was in hurry, because my two sons said they will come to the house and have dinner with us. We will be having a quite meal together and my eldest son said he will be coming directly from work. He manages two restaurant and goes to school at the same time during the day.

My youngest son, just arrived home from his school in Champaign, Illinois, a threehour drive from our place, not to mention the traffic on his path and was so tired and sleeping in his old room, down at the basement and left a note to wake him up if it is time to have dinner.

Driving along the long route, and avoiding the bumper to bumper traffic at the toll way, I took the long way, thru the residential area in the north shore. I was asking my wife, that there is not much traffic at this hour. She was asleep and snoring, while I was driving.

I went to pick up some clothes at the dry cleaner and left my wife and my dog inside the car. I asked the girl at the counter, that it seems so odd, there's not much people in our neigborhood and not much customer at the dry cleaners.Even the library is closed. The girl at the counter said to me that it was the Jewish Passover today.

Well, that was the time i realized that I leave in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood and this is their enclave. Even the supermarket does not have much people. I was told by the cashier that the supermarket was busy earlier. The Jewish clients have to rush home before 6PM and prepare for the Passover Dinner.

While driving, I saw from the car, houses with big windows, have lighted candles in their dining table and were holding hands, men wearing their skull cap and all reverently praying for their Passover meal.

It reminded me of Fiedler on the Roof.

When we arrived home, I hurriedly unloaded the groceries and the stuff from the car. I was also in a hurry to cook the dinner for my family. Not a Passover meal, but a decent meal, home cooking, for me, my wife, and my two boys -- who I rarely sit with dinner at home.

My eldest son said, his restaurant is so slow this evening and there's not much customer. It was -- just as I said, Jewish Passover.

So, Auntie Patti Koh -- I was also in a way doing a Passover meal for the boys and my wife. Everytime my boys comes home and sat down for dinner with me and my wife, for me it is always a PASSOVER DINNER.