Hester Street Page #3

Or you'll see.

Come, come.

Come.

You think you're still in Russia?

Love potions!

Look at you. Like a bubbe

with a patch on the head!

Why should he love you?

Fifty times I am telling you,

"Fix yourself. Look like a woman

that lives in America."

I won't be a goyah,

even for Yankel.

What's the use?

I'm talking to the wall.

Why should I bother myself?

What about at night in the bed?

Don't tell me.

I know the answer already. Nothing.

Look at me. Am I a goyah?

I'm as pious as you anyhow.

And I go with my own hair, don't I?

Plenty time for the patch

when I get old.

While I'm young, I'm young.

And that's all.

It can't be helped!

We live in an educated country,

so we dress like educated people.

As they say, Ladies first."

Hold in. Hold.

It hurts.

It hurts?

That means it's working.

Hold, hold now. Hold. Good.

Oh, yeah!

That right?

Yeah, it's all right.

It's sure tight.

You wanna be an American,

you gotta hurt.

My best!

I don't buy from a pushcart.

I buy inside, by the way. Huh?

How do you like, huh?

Yeah? Yeah?

Maybe you got one with feathers?

You want a hat with feathers?

Feathers, you'll get!

Here.

Oh! Ah, ah, beautiful!

Oh, look. Give a look. Huh?

A regular uptown lady.

Here, like that.

Hmm? You like it?

Evening, missus.

He must work late again.

It's the busy season. The boss

keeps him. And Jake is the best worker.

Yossele.

Base.

Base.

Mamie! Oh, Mamie.

You bring my money?

I gotta speak to you now.

Get away from me!

Please, I come all the way from work!

Is it my fault you got a short mind?

Today is Wednesday.

You was by dancing.

And why not? I'm a single girl.

I can go where I want.

You think I can't?

A married man at a dancing academy

with his little wife draggin' after.

You give me a regular pain!

Shut up out there!

I don't have nothing to do

with a married man, Jake Podkovnik!

You got my money. You give it!

Otherwise you go to hell!

You go to hell!

You ain't worth my wife's

little finger!

You either!

Oh, you! Don't tell me.

Jake.

Jake.

I'm so busy tonight.

What you waitin' for?

Mr. Bernstein,

why you come to America?

You could've been teacher.

Rabbi even.

I wasn't worthy.

What? I should live so!

I could not take my mind

from profanities.

Here I was studying the Talmud

which teaches

"He who even looks at

the little finger of a woman

is as guilty as though he looked

at a woman totally naked."

So I bought a ship's ticket

and I came to America.

So?

I'm tasting! That's all!

I want a treat,

and you're insulting me.

Who wants your treat?

All right! So don't come

to my wedding neither.

I'll be goddamn!

Jake, was from you

I got the nerve to ask her.

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