"Jewish day starts on the sunset and finishes on the sunset"(Jewish Law)
- Then tomorrow?
- Also no.
- Why, for G-d's sake, why?!
He takes his hand away from hers. - Because I am a Kohen.
- This is your last name? How can it be a reason not to meet?
He smiles. - Not necessarily. Besides, I am poor and you seem to be poor too. Bad match. - The young man puts his felt hat on, politely tilts it, then takes a step on the platform and disappears in the crowd.
- I still do not understand...
- You do not have to understand, rabbi. The contribution to your synagogue will be generous.
- Well. - All five fingers row the squared beard. - There is nothing special about these people. If you want I can give you a book...
- Hell, why you are calling me now? Did not we make everything clear a month ago?
- There are things that I wanted to discuss once more.
- Which things?
- Our child.
- I already said that I would not give you a get if you take him away from me.
- I am ready to discuss this. Could you come right now?
- It is the 8-o'clock news. Now about an accident on the route 90. As we already said the car unexpectedly went to the other side of the road and was hit by a truck. The driver and a boy in his car are dead. There are no other casualities. The police continue investigation.
- Did you hear, my dear? Isn't it horrible?! Poor little David. How did he get your child in his car? Did he steal him?
- I gave up, he twisted my hands with Jewish divorce.
- Have the police already interrogated you? Did they ask about the car?
- Yes, something was wrong with the engine. As you well know, he had the bad habit of repairing his car by himself.
- Well, the Almighty punishes the wicked. He wanted to leave you naked. I hope now you can allow yourself to buy whatever you want. The black dress should fit you very much. I remember you at the funeral of your father. Did you tell them that your father had a car shop?
- I thought it was unnecessary.
- Were they polite?
- Police cannot be polite by definition.
- Well, anyway. It would be a problem to find the right tailor now in New York. Horrible city. Did you already look into directory?
- I will. I need to find a man with the first name David and who is a Kohen.
- What did you say? I do not understand...Cohen is not necessarily a tailor...
- You are not supposed to. Sometimes looking in the directory is very costly.
- Well, I think it is not a good time for jokes. Someone is ringing at the door. Talk to you later, my dear.
- Hi, inspector. Did you already talk with the lady?
- Yes, sir. The deceased would not give her a divorce unless she would agree to give up the child. He was adamant on this.
- So everything is clear?
- The opposite. She lived for a year in poverty but did not allow him to see the boy.
- Did she have anyone else this year?
- No. Her neighbors did not see any male guests and said that all her free time she spent with the child. Last week she was seen near synagogue.
- Did you talk to the rabbi?
- Not yet.
- Why did she give the boy back?
- She said she wanted the boy to have a father.
- Yes, inspector, I heard the news. True, horrible - the boy was very talented. And dreamed about his father. Every one has it, he used to say. The mother dropped here once or twice. No, nothing special, she used to listen how her child read the Torah. Yes, was good meeting you. -- Rabbi comes back to the table and looks at the check once more. The sum is large, inordinately large. All five fingers row the squared beard. He can buy new books for his synagogue. He can give tzedaka to the poor. He hides the check in his desk. The sages were right: sometimes we get rewarded for almost nothing. The telephone rings. -- Yes, my dear, I am coming. You caught me at the door. -- He puts on his felt hat, closes the door, puts a key into the lock and slowly turns it a few times. Then suddenly opens it, comes back to the table, takes out the check and slowly tears it into small pieces.