I received a phone call tonight from a friend I haven't seen in a while. He said that he is calling "just to see how I am doing".
I am 47 and one half years old [until 120!!]. NEVER [or more accurately - very rarely] have I gotten a call from ANYONE [except of course my mother - but not including people who can't sleep some nights because they are worrying about me. And my married daughter who does just that every Erev Shabbos] just to see how I am doing. [I can think of two people I know who really call random people just to see how they are doing with no ulterior motives]. But that is cool because I am doing GREAT!! BARUCH HASHEM!!! Sometimes I feel it more and sometimes less but I am always doing great.
So I KNEW that he wasn't calling for his stated reason. But I also know human nature, namely that it is hard for some people just to get to what they really want and ask for the inevitable favor. So I let the conversation continue, waiting for him to ask for what he wanted. [My shares in the New York Mets? The Sfarim I authored that nobody learns?? Good one liners for a public appearance? Makeup tips???]
FINALLY, after what didn't seem like an eternity, I said [because it was true] "I must admit my sins. I have not yet davened maariv [it was almost 11pm - I prefer davening bi-zman] and as they say "if not now, when".
He then revealed his real reason for calling which I won't divulge. [Hint - NOT one of the possibilities I mentioned earlier].
I am not angry but if he would have cut short the preliminaries he would have saved me time.
#timeislife
