Maimonides

at the drivers' license office

Maimonides was standing in line at the drivers’ license office.

Hey. I didn’t know you were driving . . . I said to M.

Jimmy, I’m Maimonides. I’m a can-do guy. How you? Working on your next book?

I’m working it. Coming together.

Good good. Resist making a book out of our conversations will you?

Ha. Some people doodle.

I love that about you Jimmy. Being booted to the curb didn’t deter you.

So it goes.

There was a guy in Fostat, when I was finishing up there, Ben-Azar, he was a earnest person but light on derekh eretz [basic decency]. It can happen.

I’ve never heard of him . . .

Exactly.

He violated his own essential decency, said Maimonides, and he didn’t need to insult, but insult he did. Look Jimmy, entitlement and a sense of service do not mix well. You keep service in front. Ben-Azar? In later years he much regretted the episode. So it goes.

You did pretty well, I said, you’re Maimonides.

Yes. I did pretty well. But nobody likes being insulted. So I worked harder.

At that Maimonides and his little doggie Tiresias jumped up. Maimonides never said goodbye. I tossed Tiresias a biscuit and outside they got into a hot rod Lincoln and peeled off.