Isidore met his friend Irving every other week while doing business. "How are you, Irving?" Isidore always asked, "How's the wife and kids?" Irv always grunted back the perfunctory replies. "Fine." "A little under the weather." "My son Jack got a job."
This one-sided interrogation went on for years until one day Isidore exploded. "Irv," he said abruptly. "I don't understand. For six years, I ask you about your wife, your kids, and your business? Not once, mind you, not once did you ever ask me about my wife, my kids, or my business!"
Irv shrugged. "Sorry, Izzie. I was really selfish. So tell me," he continued, "how is your wife? How are your kids? How is your business?"
Izzie let out a sigh of anguish and began to krechts. He put his hand gently on Irv's shoulder, tightened his lips, and shook his head slowly. "Don't ask!" he replied.
Parsha Parables by Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky Pg. 122 Feldheim Publishers
For those of you who won't know what a krechts is, I refer you to a previous post where the word is explained in truly comical fashion.
And for the rest of you, stop thinking only about yourselves and take a moment to listen to another's problems. Sometimes, all he needs is a sympathetic ear.
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