Chapter 1
Baruch quickened his pace. The cold winter air crept under his collar, and he pulled his coat and scarf tighter. His neighbor had said to meet him at 6:30 pm. He glanced at his watch — 6:27. Almost time. Today was the day! He could barely contain his excitement. He wondered what the surprise would be. If it was warmer than out here… he’d be happy. He shivered and turned up his block.
As he neared his neighbor, Mr. Shpeiter’s house, he could smell the warm cozy smell of cholent. Could that be the surprise? It was Tuesday, although he wouldn’t mind a hot steaming bowl right now… but was that what his neighbor was working on for so long? He had been looking forward to this since Simchas Torah… that was a very long time to cook cholent.
He rushed up his neighbors’ front walkway, his knapsack sliding off his back. He knocked on the door. The smell was intoxicating. Footsteps, and then the door creaked open. Standing in the doorway was Mr. Shpeiter, an older man, with a long white beard, black-rimmed glasses, and a wide smile. Oh, and a long white lab coat. Classic neighbor. “Ah Baruch! Let me show you the new… ” “Cholent?” exclaimed Baruch. “It smells like cholent!” “Aah… Yes it does!” his neighbor exclaimed, sniffing the air, and laughing. “Indeed it does! Come in! Come in!” Baruch stepped into the familiar house. He took off his coat, and ran after his neighbor who had started towards the basement door.
Baruch followed his neighbor down into the basement, where the smell kept getting stronger and stronger. Baruch could hear a faint bubbling sound as he descended the stairs. As they neared the bottom, he saw the room was lit up with many colored tubes and wires… and there in the middle of the room was the largest crockpot Baruch had ever seen. And it was full of the best smelling cholent Baruch had ever smelled.
“The cholent is bubbling! That means the new Time Machine is powered on!” exclaimed his neighbor, almost jumping out of his lab coat. Let’s try it out!” “Well wait, what do I… “ Whaddaya mean? Come with me!” Mr. Shpeiter bounded up the stairs. Up? Ok… Baruch ran after him, very confused. “The Time Machine! Go run to the mailbox!” The mailbox? A Time Machine?! “Quickly! Quickly!” “But it’s freezing!” complained Baruch. “Exactly!” Baruch was very confused now. But he did as he was told. He ran to the mailbox. Mr Shpeiter exclaimed, “The top!” The top. There. There was a flashing button on top of the mailbox. Baruch reached out and pushed it.
The next thing he knew he was spinning. Spinning. Spinning! Through a tunnel of colors and sounds and music; he couldn’t make out the song. Spinning, spinning! And then, he landed. It was very cold and snowy where he landed, and through the fog his breath was making, he was able to read a sign: RIBNITZ. Was this for real?! An actual time machine?!
Continued next week…
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 18.