“Why are you dressed like that?”

“Where did you get that outfit?”

“We aren’t going to a Halloween party, Timmy!”

“You don’t look like a Sandpiper anymore, you look like a Penguin!”

Hearing all those comments from his family made Timmy sad. “I thought,” he replied glumly, “that because we are going out to dinner somewhere where we have never been before, with people we have never met before, that I should dress up.”

“Where did you get the costume?” Sybil wasn’t sure if she was amused or annoyed.

“Mum, this isn’t not a costume. It’s a tuxedo!”

“Sorry Timmy. Where did you get the tuxedo from?”

“The thrift store.”

“The one at Dad’s synagogue?”

“Yes. Benne was there and he was helping Carole, and I told him what we were doing and where we were going. So, he suggested that if I wanted to make a great impression, then I should get this tuxedo.”

“At my thrift store?” asked George walking into the living room and stopping in the doorway to take a double take of his son.

“Yes dad.”

“I hope Carole didn’t charge you a lot of money.”

“No, only $3. Benne told me it was a steal.”

“Maybe he stole it,” Rosa snickered. She was trying to figure out what had come over her brother ever since he had met Anjali. “Are you going to get married in that as well?” she asked, which of course as it was designed to do, turned the place upside down.

“Married!” George nearly had a heart attack. He again looked around for his non-existent heart medication. “No way! He’s still a boy. Plus, Anjali is a nice girl but she’s only 8 and she’s not Jewish.”

“All girls grow up daddy,” replied Rosa, “even me,” to which of course George had to agree. “Whatever happened to Melanie?” asked his mother.

“Nothing. We just grew apart.”

“But she comes from a nice Jewish family. Yes, I know they are Reform, but at least they’re Jewish.”

“Anjali told me that when her parents got married, the ceremony went on for 500 days.”

The rest of the Blau family looked at Rosa and rolled their eyes. “Young lady,” said Sybil believing it was time for her to step in and make sure her family behaved like a nice Jewish family, and not a band of hooligans. “Listen Rosa. I’ve heard that Indian weddings go on for two days not 500 days, and that isn’t going to happen here,” and then she suddenly gulped. As she was speaking, she realised she had no control over who Timmy married when he was on his own. George realising the same thing, found an opening.

“You understand young man, that if you were to marry outside your religion you could not become a Rabbi, and I thought that was very important in your life.” Timmy looked down at the floor.

“This is so silly,” enter Julia who had been busy cleaning up the kitchen after she had made lunch. “We are going to meet Anjali’s family for dinner, not for a wedding proposal and mummy, you can’t clean the kitchen ever again. It took me ages just to try and find the rolling pin when I was making bread. You put it in the wrong drawer.”

Sybil turned away from Julia, “peasant,” she whispered under her breath not really knowing why. She turned back and looked at Julia. “You found it though, didn’t you?”

“Yes mummy. But I didn’t need to look for it. If I had cleaned up, I would’ve gone right to the spot. You asked for a chance to clean the kitchen and that’s what I get for it.”

Sybil rolled her eyes and turned to look at Timmy. “I must say you do look good in a tuxedo. You should’ve seen what your father wore the first time he met my parents.” George was about to jump in because he knew what Sybil was about to say, but stopped when she gave him one of her evil grins.

Rosa couldn’t let that one go, “what was daddy wearing mummy.?”

“A NY Giants uniform,” she blurted out before George stopped her.

“What!” the others shouted.

“Dad,” continued Rosa, “why the Giants?” We live in North Carolina.”

“Well in those days we lived in New Jersey and that’s the team I supported.”

“Did you wear the helmet as well?” asked Rosa now winding up because she had found a topic where she could embarrass her parents.

“No Rosa dear,” George had to explain what it was he was wearing otherwise she was liable to say something about it at Anjali’s house. “It was just a Giant’s tee shirt, that’s all. Not the uniform.”

“What did grandpa say?”

George hung his head down. “Your grandfather is a Jets fan.” They all laughed.

“Yes, yes, yes,” Sybil loved the memory. “He made your father go into the bathroom and change into a Jets jersey!” The entire family including George laughed. The family was now loosened up and then realising what was happening they all turned to look at poor Timmy. “What will happen if Anjali’s father asks you to go into the bathroom and take the tuxedo off and put on Indian oufit?” asked Rosa imagining the situation. “I could wear a sari. Anjali says her mother has really nice ones.”

This was an unusual moment of brevity in the Blau family, which they realised they had long been without. Eventually they calmed down and accepted Timmy in his tuxedo.

“I must tell you young man,” it was up to Sybil to get the family back in line, “I must tell you, that if your father had come to my home in a tuxedo, your grandfather would’ve said ‘here take Sybil she’s all yours, instead of having to go back and forth for months before he said ok. So, I think you dressed that way is making a positive and important statement on behalf of the family.” There was silence for a second.

“What statement is that mummy?” asked Rosa not quite understanding her mother’s drift. Sybil realised that neither did she, but it was getting late and they needed to get moving.

“I’ll tell you later,” replied Sybil giving her youngest daughter a peck on her cheek. “And my, you look very pretty in that cotton dress. I just hope you don’t get too cold because after all it’s winter.”

“Anjali told me that the food will warm me up, so that why I dressed in this.”

“I can’t wait to try the chicken curry,” said Julia, “I hope it’s very hot!”

“Me too!” added Timmy forgetting the meat may not be kosher. In the grand scheme of things, Anjali’s opinion of him in a tuxedo completely outweighed his insistence on kosher meat.

“Are we ready?” asked the father of the house.

“Yes!” they all shouted in glee.

“And where are you all going, a fancy dress party?” Elizabeth had walked in and everyone groaned. “Well, Timmy’s in a space suit, Rosa is wearing a tent, Julia is wearing something country and western, Sybil is wearing….”

“Elizabeth, it’s time for you to leave. No, we are not going to a fancy dress party. No, there is no food for you here today and no you can’t come with us. Bye for now.” And with that, the Blau family in unison took to the skies, and in what looked like a well-rehearsed move, floated inland on a thermal.