25 December 2017, Monday

(Catholic and Protestant) Christmas day.

Very very long telephone conversation with עליזה ש.

Encountered מיכאל and טלי at 35th Ave. and 72nd St. going for a brief walk and neglected to show them my חנכה sweater.

Christmas dinner at JI, Northern Blvd. (3120–23). {Having a traditional Cajun pork chop Christmas dinner.} An awkward old man stopped me and, referring to my sweater, said he had had one but it broke when a bulb blew. I asked if he meant a sweater, but he clarified that he meant an (apparently electric) מנורה (even though he’s white and Catholic) and again told me that it broke when a bulb blew, and I wondered silently why he considered the מנורה broken rather than replacing the bulb. He wished me happy holidays when he left and I got the impression that he and even the rest of his party were a little mentally unbalanced. The Cajun pork chop was very good if a little dry (or rather insufficiently fatty) and as usual I quite enjoyed myself. There were two adjacent booths with unrelated (probably Latin American) parties therein that included a slim attractive man sitting by the window opposite an obese woman. (Both of the men and one of the women wound up visible but blurry in my photograph, 3120.) The further party left earlier and included a hunky attractive man who may be in his early thirties as well as the slim young man who more caught my attention with his doe eyes, his nose and the gentle, almost frightened look on his face. A number of customers wore novelty Christmas accessories, like Santa Claus hats (one of whom additionally wore a D. Vader mask) and the woman who wore a Christmas‐light necklace. And the Kl’d‐like bus boy was there.

37th Ave. After having gone home to fetch my reusable shopping bag, I saw S— through the window of DR as well as the cute ਸਿੱਖ worker (apparently ਦਲਜੀਤ 100003760714130) I’ve seen a number of times but neglected to mention. I was surprised but pleased that so many businesses were open. Saw C’rl W. in शाह/شاه Deli as I passed. I went to FD but mistakenly checked in at F’town. There was a not‐unattractive night manager there whom I don’t believe I’ve seen before. Bought a sweet‐potato pie (18:27) after having had rolls, breadsticks, yams and frizzled onions at the diner.