Back to Brooklyn

Why be normal?

So my neighbors came back from camp today, and they looked so great for about two minutes. I asked what the problem was, and they said that they were sad to come back to Brooklyn because everyone in the camp was normal. To be specific, they said no one was a faker or judgmental, and everyone was genuine. There was also a noticeable lack of characters and weirdoes. I was glad to hear that in a setting for children, the camp lacked Machers, Hockers, uniquely scented tzedakah collectors and so on. Personally, I like weirdoes because they have the most introspective and interesting views about life in general, and Judaism in specific. I don’t like being accosted for tzedakah when I go to daven Mincha. Once or twice is OK, but why should it be acceptable for people to shove wads of cash into my face while I’m davening and expect me to give them more? I do sympathize with some of them, but there has got to be a better way. I wonder how much the average collector makes in a day. I also always wonder what minyan they daven with. Getting back to the subject, I’d have to agree that out of town is better than here sometimes. But where else can you get a shawarma at 1:00 in the morning?