By Howard Meyerowtiz

Grumpy! That was how Dr. Jacob Mendelshon felt that Shabbos morning in August. This was totally out of character for the good doctor who especially loved Shabbos morning. This was his special day of rest, of reflection, of prayer, of being with friends in shul, and it was a day he would spend with his beloved seven year old grandson, Dovid.

But something he had eaten for Shabbos dinner had caused severe indigestion and he had gotten very little sleep. Then he nicked himself shaving, and to add insult to injury, when he went to pour his Saturday morning bowl of Frosted Flakes the box was empty because he had forgotten to buy more, so he had to settle for some cream cheese that had reached its peak spread on an overly toasted week old bagel because he hadn’t watched the toaster.

“That’s it!” Dr. Jacob Mendelshon shouted out loud. “It’s been a miserable night and morning and I’m grumpy! Do you hear me, world? I’m grumpy and I’m going to stay grumpy! Sure, I’ll go to shul, but I’ll wear my worst looking suit, oldest shirt and the coffee stained wide tie that I haven’t worn in decades. I’ll show you!”

But, unbeknownst to Dr. M., as he was lovingly referred to by all who knew and held him in the highest regard, sweet Shabbos angels began working their magic to brighten the good doctor’s day. As he placed his dirty dish into the kitchen sink, a mellow morning breeze wafted through the open kitchen window and his attention was drawn to a gentle looking summer sky and he began to smile. “Oh, no, you don’t!” Dr. M. said aloud as he slammed the window shut and angrily pulled down the shade! “You’re not going to get me! Grumpy I am and grumpy I’ll stay!”

The old suit he chose had cuffs that were slightly frayed and there were two very small holes in the pants that needed some mending. The shirt had been long out of style and was somewhat worn around the collar, and his decades old coffee stained wide tie added to his miserable fashion statement. “There, I look as miserable as I feel,” the doctor said as he examined himself in his full length mirror.

As Dr. M. stepped out his front door sweet Shabbos angels were at it again, because when he heard the melodic trilling sounds made by the tiny wrens that nested in his front tree Dr.M.’s eyes brightened slightly and his step was a little lighter. “No, I’m grumpy and I’ll stay grumpy,” the good doctor said, but with a little less conviction. 

A few doors down he met Mr. and Mrs. Weisen. “Good Shabbos, Dr. M..We haven’t seen you in that suit before. You look quite dapper, and the color of your shirt brings out the best of your complexion.”  Oh, those sweet Shabbos angels!

Before our good doctor could think of any negative thoughts he encountered Rose Gorman, a woman he admired and who often joined him for dinner dates. “Good Shabbos, Jacob,” she offered smiling sweetly. “I love the artwork of your tie. It’s different and charming,” and with that she gently tucked her arm through his and they continued walking to shul. Guess who?

As Rose and Jacob neared the shul, his grandson, Dovid, rushed over to him and hugged him tightly. “Good Shabbos, Zayde. I love you!” Dr. Jacob Mendelshon smiled broadly, looked skyward and said quietly to himself, “Sometimes you just can’t win.”

Howard Meyerowitz is a Ledger staff member and a member of Beth El Temple in West Hartford. He lives in Bloomfield with his wife, Susan. The father of two grown daughter, he delights his two grandchildren with his original — and imaginative — Shabbat tales, which we share with you here.