Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Saving up my willpower

In the midst of our busy Friday (before picking up Aviva at her piano lesson to rush her across town by bicycle to her trapeze lesson), Noah and I are in the Koscher-Laden buying champagne and juice for Rabbi Barbara Borts's last service at Migwan.

As I'm paying, I'm chatting with the proprietors about Noah's Hebrew (he was reading the french fry package, haltinglly) and Migwan's afternoon Hebrew classes for kids. "Migwan has a school now?" they say, raising their eyebrows. They seem guardedly pleased -- and also tickled, as if by a juicy piece of gossip.

Then, I notice that Noah is sitting on the floor by the cash register, covering his eyes with his hands.

"Noah," I say, "what's up?"

"I'm trying not to look," Noah says.

"Why is that?" I ask.

"I'm saving up my willpower," Noah says.

Slightly confused, I search the immediate surroundings. The propreiors chuckle.

"Aha," I say, "you mean because there is candy here?"

"Yes," says Noah, "and ice cream. Snickers." Taking his hands from his eyes, he points to the sign depicting a Snickers ice cream bar. It does look pretty good.

The propreitors and I smile indulgently. "And you are saving your willpower not to ask for any?"

"No," Noah says, somewhat annoyed. "I don't want any, because I'm saving up my willpower."

"Oh," I say, and pay for the champagne, and say goodbye to the proprietors. "Okay, well, we have watermelon in the trailer."

"I'm saving up my willpower for Migwan tonight," Noah says.

We go out. "I see," I say. "Well, there will be lots of good things to eat at Migwan tonight. You can save your appetite for those."

"Daddy," Noah says, "you don't get it. I'm not saving up my willpower so I can eat. I'm saving up my willpower because we're saying goodbye to Barbara tonight."

"Oh," I say, stopping in my tracks.

Noah waves his hands, underlining the obvious. "I don't want to collapse in the middle of the party!"

"You are avoiding sugar," I say, dumbfounded, "to manage your mood."

"Of course," says Noah, and gets in to the trailer.