A Price Above Rubies Page #5

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Lucky for me,

is on an 80/ discount rate.

Good choice, Mrs. Horowitz.

I like this one.

And since when are you an expert?

I didn't say I was an expert.

I just like this one.

That one?

What is this?

Just some free-floating junk that came

in with a batch of useless gold items.

I'll sell it

to the melters at cost.

- Where did you find this?

- Somewhere. Chinatown. I don't know.

You look at this...

and call it a piece of junk

from Chinatown...

and you wonder why

your business is bad?

What? Did God put you on this earth

for the purpose of busting my chops?

If you like it, I'll throw it in

with the other one. All right?

Okay.

- You like that piece?

- Yeah, I like it.

I'm asking you about it.

I like it.

Then it came from my store.

- Anything you like,

this is where it came from.

- Oh, no, no.

If this piece is hot or something,

I've got nothing to do with it.

- You cops have got to stop hassling me.

- Cops?

Maybe the guy before me

had some kind of shady business.

I'm clean as a whistle,

you understand me?

I've got receipts.

You want to see? Everything.

Excuse me.

Could you... Excuse me.

You're going to hell.

For eating an egg roll?

For eating pig.

Mmm, is delicious!

- You're going to hell.

- Really?

And yesterday...

when I was lying on a desk getting

shtupped by my brother-in-law...

yesterday I wasn't going to hell?

I'm sorry.

Yossi, I'm sorry.

I'll shut up, okay?

Little boys always hate any noise

they're not making themselves.

Something sweet with which to coat

the worls bitter pill, tataleh.

What are you doing

so far from home?

I might ask you

the same question.

Spare some change for a woman who's been

walking too long on her tired feet?

I'm sorry.

Nice earrings.

Excuse me.

Those earrings are beautiful.

Thanks.

Do you mind if I take

a closer look?

Where did you get these?

Listen, lady, I'm glad you like them,

but they're not valuable or nothing!

There's this guy who makes them

in my neighborhood.

- Just some neighborhood guy

who makes nice stuff.

- What neighborhood?

Buenos dias.

Hello.

Um, I'm looking for a jeweler.

I was given this address.

Jeweler?

- Jewelry maker?

- Ah, si.

Si. Entra, por favor.

Mi hijo.

- My son.

- Oh!

Venga.

Pase. Down.

Down the stairs.

Those the ones that I wanted?

- Yeah, is the same ones.

- They don't look like it.

- Is the ones. I'm telling you.

- They don't look like Charlene's.

This is better.

Suits your face.

You getting picky now? You know mine

are sold. Yours can never be like this.

Whatever, girl.

How much you want for it?

The reward is seeing it on such a

lovely ear. Thas all I could ask for.

Yo, Ramon.

I've been posin' my naked ass

over here for three weekends in a row.

You ain't paid me jack,

and now you're turning down her dollars?

Shut up. Thas 'cause your fat ass

ain't worth my dollars, homegirl.

The hell with this, all right?

Come on. Whas up with acting

like this? All right?

Come on.

Whatcha doin'?

Here.

Take this for now.

Talk to her, all right?

- Is cold in here, man.

- I need you guys. I know.

One more time, all right?

Let me guess.

You didn't quite succeed at

getting my ass fired at work today...

so you decided

to follow me home...

and make sure my life

is a living hell here as well?

Not exactly.

You're quite a collector.

You mean these?

Not exactly.

I mean, I make them.

Nobody buys any,

so I guess I'm collecting them.

What about these?

Is just stuff I sell

to the neighborhood girls

for some pocket money.

You know? Mostly metal shavings

from my sculptures.

- Is worthless.

- Worthless?

This is art.

- Yo, Ray. Peace.

- Yo. Peace, Ty.

- Later. All right?

- Yeah, all right.

You have

an interesting style, Ramon.

Is not really no style.

Is mostly unfinished. But thanks.

So, what brings you to my neck

of the woods, Miss, uh, Horowitz?

I found it in a pile of junk

Kapoor was gonna sell to the melters.

Is yours, isn't it?

How did that get in...

It musve fell in there somehow. Jesus!

Twenty-two carat gold.

Whatever stone you had in it is gone.

I'm sorry.

It was never there.

- I made this for my muse.

- For who?

My muse.

My inspiration.

Who is that?

I don't know.

But... when I meet her,

I'll know what stone

to put in there.

Hmm.

Hey, Ramon...

Kapoor doesn't have a clue, does he?

Does anyone in the trade know?

- Know what?

- Know what you can do.

Listen, I got a job.

You know, this is a hobby,

a distraction. Thas all. Is not...

I want to commission your designs.

And I don't know from sculpture...

but other than a few Florentine antiques

that passed through my father's store...

I've never seen any jewelry

as beautiful as yours in my life.

I am very moved, Mrs...

Sonia.

I am moved, Sonia.

But we don't know each other.

Do you want this for me,

or do you want this... for you?

Does it matter?

Sonia?

Mendel?

What are you doing lurking

out here in the dark?

- Where's Shimmie?

- He's by Rachel.

- Oy gevalt. I better go get him.

- He'll be all right.

I said...

he'll be all right.

- Where have you been?

- Working.

- What is all this?

- Oh, they're samples...

from a jeweler I'm going

to be representing as part

of my work for Sender.

- Look.

- I told Sender you won't

be working for him anymore.

I've asked him to replace you

as soon as possible.

Well, what did,

what did Sender say?

What did Sender say?

I'm your husband, Sonia.

By you, Sender does what I ask.

I told him you were needed here at home

and that was the end of it.

- Mendel, all the women around here work.

- Yes, they work.

But their husbands don't get snickered

at by everyone in the neighborhood...

as soon as his back is turned.

Why should they snicker?

If I knew that I wouldn't be

standing here asking you about it.

Is that what you're doing?

You're asking me about it?

Sonia...

Sonia, I know that you've got...

We've got problems.

I-I talked to some people about it,

some people who know about these things.

Please, Sonia.

I realize I've been too busy at

the yeshiva with my own learning to do...

To give you the attention you deserve.

I also realize...

that we are in desperate need

of help right now.

What kind of help, Mendel?

I'd like for us

to see a counselor.

A marriage counselor, a psychologist.

Someone who specializes in problems

married people are having.

Do you pray every morning,

Mrs. Horowitz?

Do you pray, Mrs. Horowitz?

You said...

I thought you were a psychologist.

I am a psychologist, Mrs. Horowitz,

but I'm also a rabbi...

uniquely qualified to appreciate

the problems afflicting the Jewish soul.

Which is unique in that it is directly

connected to the spirit of the Holy One.

Blessed be His name.

Sonia, can we give the doctor a chance?

So? Hmm?

Do you pray, Mrs. Horowitz?

No.

- Have you been to the mikveh?

- Not this month.

- Are you lighting shabbes candles?

- If I get in on time.

- Have you been keeping kosher?

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