Friday, February 19th, 2021

I almost miss the clothing shop as I go past. It’s raining. Hard. I was going to wait it out, but it hadn’t let up by noon. I’m not sure when this place closes for the Sabbath. The shop is tiny, and right next door to another store with a similar name. I spot it just in time. I stop. The owner is standing at the doorway, behind a table that blocks customers from coming in. Due to virus restrictions, only two of us could have fit in there. Blocking the door is probably easier. I step up to him. An awning keeps the rain away. I start to tell him what I want, but I forget the word. I unzip my jacket and tug on my belt. He says the word. I recognize it. I nod. “What color?” Black. Black always works. He pulls one off the rack. “Try this. There are larger ones, too.” I try it. It’s too small. “OK, one moment.” He flips through the rack and pulls out another one. He hands it to me. I try it. Perfect, “I have other clothes for you, too. Trousers. Jeans. Sweaters. Hoodies that zip up.” I tell him that I’ll remember this place. I will. I pay him and head off to do other shopping. I’m tempted to stop, take off my current belt, discard it, and put the new one on. I’m carrying other things, though, and I don’t want to put them down on anything in the rain. Odds are good that, if I try to juggle everything, my pants will fall down. I guess I can wait until I get home.