Family

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Now...my son,
obey my voice;
arise,
flee to Laban
my brother
in Haran,
and stay with him
a while,
until your brother's
fury
turns away.
[Genesis 27:43-44]
**************************
(Author is cleaning litter boxes
in her dusty, rumble-tumble kitchen.
Cats are meowing, and wandering
around the room. Some are
squabbling. Unbeknownst to her,
two of her kinfolk and ancestors
are watching her, from Above,
and squinting down...rather concernedly.)
_______________________
(Great....grandmother Leah looks down,
shaking her head sorrowfully.)
"Oy. Well....
(Sigh.)
I guess... she got her
looks from me!"

(Jacob lovingly looks
at his wife.)
"But.....she DID get your
love of babies,
Leah'lah!"

(Leah suddenly looks
alarmed.)
"Oy, but.....Jacob'lah!
LOOK!
All those little LIONS!
What is she......MESHUGA'LAH?"

(Jacob philosophically nods.)
"Well........she probably got THAT
from Uncle LABAN!"

(Leah pinches her husband
on the arm.)
"HEY!"

(Jacob winces,
and rubs his arm.)
"Well, Leah...........ya know:
You gotta ADMIT.......!"

(Leah nods knowingly
at her husband.)
"Uh, huh?
And.....what about your CRAZY
brother, ESAU?"

(Jacob nods.)
"Oy vey.
(Deeply sighs.)
Let's not get into
THAT!
PLEASE!"

(Leah sighs audibly.)
"YES!
(Shakes her head.)
Poor dear; she must've
gotten it from BOTH sides!"

(Jacob nods melancholically.)
"SO?"
(Whispers to his wife.)
"Where's......the HUSBAND?
And.......all her CHILDREN
And....CAMELS?
WHY hasn't the Lord BLESSED her?"

(Leah shakes her head.)
(Hands fly to her mouth.)
"Oh, JACOB!
Mein KINDER!
Only surrounded by......
TINY LIONS!"
(Tears at sleeve in mourning!)

(Jacob sorrowfully nods.)
"What SHAME!
What SHAME!
(Covers face in shame.)
I can't take another LOOK!"

(Leah peers and squints again
at her lowly great-great-great-grandchild.)
"What is she doing....NOW?
LOOK, Jacob!
LOOK!"

(Jacob squints rather curiously
down at woe-be-gotten
great-great-great grandchild.)
"I don't know, Leah!
(Squint again, rather
morosely.)
I think she's.......
(Squint.)
She's.......picking up SOMETHING
and putting it to her EAR!
And.....TALKING!
And.....LAUGHING to herself!
OY!
She's CRAZY!"

(Leah nods, and sighs.)
"Oy............just like....
your meshugunah brother,
Esau!"
***********************
Then Issac
called Jacob
and blessed him....
You shall not marry
one of the
Canaanite women.
Arise,
go to Paddan-aram
to the house
of Bethuel
your mother's father;
and take as wife
from there one of
the daughters
of Laban
your mother's brother.
[Genesis 28:1-3]

________________________
In memory: Grandfather
Samuel and grandmother
Cecelia.

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