A Retraction

Anyone who follows this blog and really knows me well, knows how much I hate shopping. To be completely honest, I passionately dislike shopping in the USA but something strange happens to me when I go overseas...I actually enjoy bartering and buying--go figure!

Now maybe it's the sights, smells and the novelty of it: the calls to prayer from the minaret, the fragrant spices of the market place, and the splashes of brightly colored fabrics that set my senses reeling. Anyway, I must be out of my senses to enjoy the barbaric practice. Can I get a rousing "Amen!" from the men out there?

It was countdown time: we only had two days left in Israel. Our schedule was filled with ancient wonders but we had little time to shop. Finally we got a free evening and I was elected to scout out the land...seasoned campaigner that I was having been to Israel once before. I screened my eyes from the sun as I looked for a familiar landmark. Ah, there it was--the Jaffa Gate! King David Street loomed in front of us. A handful of tourist grouped around me as if I were the shepherd and they were the sheep.

"Remember, don't snatch up the item with the first price they give you...walk away...act like you don't care," I said as each person mentally took notes. "Let's synchronize our watches and meet in front of King David's Tower in two hours," I said feeling very much like a commander on D-day. With that piece of advice and a quick blessing they were off to the races.

Come closer and I'll whisper a little secret--I actually had pleasure in watching them return with their purchases. They had survived the day out without any serious injury and so had I. What more can one expect? We were surely in the Promised Land.