Pssst... Want some eggs?

brown eggs in egg cartons
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I buy a lot of milk. Because I drink a TON of coffee.

I buy my milk from the mini-market three doors down, and I always wonder what they must think of me. 

("Hmmm... she sure does buy a lot of milk... Is she, like, drinking it, or something?")

Not drinking milk. Drinking coffee. Just to clarify.

Anyhow. Back to my story...

Tonight is the Passover seder, and I went to pick up some more milk just now, lest God forbid I should run out before Friday (two days from now), even though I have two full cartons in my fridge, and two in my freezer. While I was in the store, I glanced around to see whether there was anything else I might require. I even checked out the bananas. They were very green.
 
Speaking of milk, what would you call a fear of running out of milk? It's the opposite of galaphobia or lactophobia (both used for "fear of milk"). My friend Vivian, an actual poet, suggested "lackolactophobia". Personally, I think that's brilliant. Not for nothing is she a venerated wordsmith.

Anyhow. Back to my story...

As I was standing in line to pay for two more milk cartons (bringing the fridge total to 4 fresh milks and 2 frozen), the owner of the mini-market sidled up to me, surreptitiously, much in the manner of a drug dealer, and said quietly... 

"Tell me, Jennifer... do you need any eggs?"

And this is what I LOVE about Israel. 

The country has had a run on eggs for a few days now. (At Passover, Jews need eggs. No, I can't explain it.) The government had supposedly arranged to fly in eggs from Europe for before Passover, but they are still nigh impossible to find at the moment. And the stores are going to be closed as of 3:00 PM today until Friday morning.

So Sam, the mini-market owner, had set aside whatever eggs he possessed for his good customers. And even though I didn't ask him, he saw me and quietly offered me that precious commodity.

My heart melted at his care and concern.

Where else in the world would you find that??? 

(Don't answer that! I want to believe this is solely an Israel-thing, to make up for all the challenges involved in living here.)

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