“What’s the story on the necklace?”
Shifting glances.
“Story?”
“Yeah. That’s new, right?”
“Uh, just something I like a lot. Hey, I’ve been looking at this cool Hebrew word, nefesh, you know about it?”
“Come on, there’s always a story with you.”
Guilty chuckles.
“Alright, I guess there’s a story. And it’s not new, just finally tied it together.”
“Ha! But hold on, I only have like three hours, so…”
Arm punch.
“Relax. It’s a short one. So I was at this little place, first time…”
“What place? Have I been there?”
“Doubt it, off the beaten path. Really cute place, old fashioned, but fresh, lively, and…”
Interruption. “Hey guys how’s it going?”
“Extremely very… fine. We’re fine, yeah. What’s good with you?”
Skipping rocks conversation.
“Okay, so… necklace? Short story?”
“Right. So standing in line a guy tried to toss this cap into a basket on the other side of me, guess I was in the way or something. Anyway he missed and it fell on the floor by my feet, I was like ‘oh I got it.’”
“That’s it?”
“Pretty much. I don’t know, I couldn’t toss it. So I put it in my pocket.”
“Hmph.”
Shrugs.
“Yeah, I think about weird things. In all of space and time, if either one of us hadn’t been there at the same place and time… whatever. My sister says I’m a mad hatter… lovingly… in love.”
“I can see where she’s coming from… so you made it into a necklace.”
“Yep. I guess somewhere I got bent, I don’t know, I look for the under appreciated thing, the thing someone else thought wasn’t a thing, the passed over thing. What something could be is what is secretly is. Like a seed. I made it special to me and I think that makes me something.”
“That’s either brilliance or we need to put you in a home.”
Laughs all the way through.
“I’m trusting you to tell me when I need to get help.”
“Do I dare ask about the Hebrew thing?”
“Oh yeah, this is cool. Nefesh, usually translated ‘soul’ or ‘life?’ Same word is literally translated ‘neck.’”