GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS (FROM A JEWISH PERSPECTIVE)
Some stories are short. This one is a bit lengthy, so if you choose, you can read a bit, then get a cup of coffee, and come back to it later. But please, finish what you start to read, yet no one reads a long (short) story in one sitting.
It was around noon when Goldilocks left her Brooklyn apartment on the corner of Court Street and Atlantic Avenue. She would finally spend a Sabbath Eve with her grandma, “Zaide” Sarah, who lived in a small retirement village apartment on the corner of 9th Street and 7th Ave. She was in her late 80s now, and didn’t get around much anymore, at least that was what Goldilocks thought. So she thought it might be a good idea to visit her and spend a Sabbath Eve with her. Mamma thought it was a good idea too.
So, Mamma baked a fresh loaf of Challah, wrapped it in plastic wrap, and placed it inside Goldilocks' backpack. She went to the corner of 9th and 7th and waited for the bus. Once she boarded, Goldilocks settled down in a seat in the middle of the bus, leaned her head against the window, and closed her eyes. Her memories took her back to the times when grandma and grandpa had spent more time together with her.
In past years, they had taken her to Prospect Park, which was near the grandparents’ place. They would walk together, throw nuts to the squirrels and breadcrumbs to the birds. Goldilocks would swing on one of the many swing sets in the park. A few years ago, grandpa had given up the ghost, and now it was only grandma “Zaide” Sarah. These thoughts had slowly lulled Goldilocks to sleep. She wasn’t planning a nap on the bus, it just happened that way.
When she awoke, the bus had stopped for a few minutes because the bus driver had gone into a store for a snack and a restroom break. She looked around and saw the street sign, “New York Ave”, a little far from where she had planned to get off. She had plainly slept through her stop at 7th and 9th Ave.
” Have a nice day.” said the driver as he got back on.
” Yeah, you too” replied Goldilocks as she rushed down the aisle and jumped down the steps and passed the open door. A few more passengers got on and the driver closed the door and drove away.
So, there she stood there at the corner of Midwood and New York Ave, thinking that, ‘somehow, I have to get back to where Grandma lives. She opened her purse and fumbled around looking for another bus token, but all she found was some loose change, an old grocery receipt, some paperclips, and an old folded-up homework assignment from Mr. Stein’s Social Studies class.
’Great,’ she thought, ‘so this is where it was, two weeks too late. I’ll turn it in any way, better late than never.’ The loose change amounted to twenty-two cents, not even enough for a cup of coffee. ’Well, she thought, I could “schnor” myself back to grandma’s place.’
She remembered the stories that grandma and grandpa had told her about “schnorers” back in the old country, destitute beggars asking pedestrians for a few Kopeks or even a Ruble or two near the great city of Kiev. But, ‘No,’ she thought, ‘there’s no way I’m going to schnor for bus fare, I’ll just walk it out.’
So, Goldilocks began her trek back towards grandma’s place at 9th and 7th. Sure, it was a long way off, but if she walked fast, she ought to be there in time for Sabbath. With the loaf of challah in her backpack, she hurried along New York Avenue as fast as she could walk. A little way up ahead, she noticed a sign that pointed to Prospect Park.
’Well,’ she thought, ‘I could go around the park or cut through it. If I cut through it, I’ll save some time, yeah, cut through it,’ she decided finally. So, Goldilocks started through Prospect Park with a backpack and a challah loaf inside. Soon, she noticed a trail that led to Brooklyn’s only forest.
This somewhat intrigued her. She remembered Grandma “Zaide” telling her about this small forest in Brooklyn, yet she never took her along one of these quaint forest paths.
’Guess I can make a detour,’ thought Goldilocks, ‘ten or fifteen minutes won’t matter. I’ll still make it back to Grandma's before the Sabbath begins.’
So, Goldilocks started to walk along the main trail that led to towering trees and bushes. She was enthralled by such greenery in the middle of the city. She was captivated by the tweeting of the birds and the scurrying squirrels that paused for a second to stare at her before disappearing into the thickets and trees.
Soon, she came upon a small log cabin house that was nestled between a clump of trees. It was off the beaten trail, but nevertheless, curiosity got the better of her. She went over to investigate. She made her way to this small, strange house in the middle of this vast Brooklyn forest. She read the sign that was nailed to the front of the door, which read; “BEARkowitz Family”. There were also three mailboxes near the front door with the names: Papa BEARkowitz, Mama BEARkowitz, and Baby BEARkowitz.
Goldilocks went closer for a better look and noticed that the front door was open a crack, so she went up and knocked.
” Hello, anyone at home?”
Her knocking opened the door a bit more. No one answered, so she pushed open the door and went inside the BEARkowitz residence. Upon entering, she noticed a small, cozy kitchen to the left, and around the corner was a combination dining and living room. On the dining room table, she noticed three bowls of porridge. The aroma of the porridge stirred up her appetite, so she went over and sat down in a large chair in front of the larger bowl of porridge. She tasted it but, alas, it was much too hot.
She moved over to the medium-sized chair in front of a smaller bowl and tasted the porridge. But “oi” it was too cold and bland. Then she saw the smallest bowl of porridge in front of the smallest chair. The chair looked comfortable, so she sat down and tasted the porridge.
” Yes,” she exclaimed, “just right”
So, she ate it all up. After eating, Goldilocks felt a little tired so she went into the living room and saw two cushioned chairs and a small rocking chair. She sat down in the first chair, but it was much too hard for her comfort. She then tried the next chair, but the cushion was too soft for her comfort. Finally, she sat down in the rocking chair and started rocking back and forth. Yes, it seemed just right.
After about ten minutes of rocking back and forth in the small rocking chair, Goldilocks began to feel sleepy, so she went into the master bedroom and found two beds. She lay down in the first bed, which was pretty large, but the mattress was too hard and firm. She went to the other bed and lay down, but the mattress was much too soft. Then she went into the adjoining bedroom and found baby bear’s bed (who wasn’t really a baby anymore on account that he was already 13 and Bar-mitzvahed). She lay down on the bed and she felt that it was just right. Soon, she fell fast asleep.
In the meantime, Papa Bear, Mama Bear, and Baby Bear (who wasn’t a baby anymore since he was already 13 and bar-mitzvahed) returned home from shopping. They saw that the door was already open ajar, so Papa Bear said;
” Honey, did you forget to lock the door again?”
“Oi Vey,” responded Mama Bear, “Seems like I am getting to be a bit absent-minded these days, my bad!”
” That’s OK,” replied Papa Bear, “We don’t have anything worth stealing anyway.”
So, the three BEARkowitz bears entered and Mama Bear put the groceries on the kitchen table for the Sabbath Eve dinner. It was then that Papa Bear noticed the bowls of porridge on the table.
” Someone has been eating my porridge!” said Papa bear a little annoyed. Mama Bear went over to the table and looked at her bowl of porridge and exclaimed;
” Oi, someone has been eating from my bowl of porridge too!”
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