Sympathy

Caroline Esterhuizen

After giving a talk to the Jewish Women's Association,
over a cup of tea and a Romany Cream
I was casually asked
“What was your maiden name?”
“Morris,” the reply.
“Are you Jewish?”
And having anticipated such a question
but still caught without a definitive answer
I answered “No”
but really wanted to say
“No I'm not – but you'd be forgiven for
thinking so. I inherited an obscure sequence
of genes which has resulted in my rather
convincing Aquiline, Hebraic outward
appearance.”
And the forthright, grounded response
“It's okay – you don't have to be.”




LitNet: 30 May 2006

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