I'm sorry I just thought of this now. It looks like I'm going to commit to working for three more hours then I'll see if anyone is around. There are many of you I'd like to say "hey" to. I'll put on my best clothes.
I'm referring cryptically to a passage in Amos Oz's book A Tale of Love and Darkness (now a movie). It's after WW2. The family is in Jerusalem and close relatives are in Tel Aviv. Correspondence passes between family members every month to set up a date when each family would go to a location where there is a phone. For example, a pharmacy. On the designated day, the family would dress up to walk to the store and make the phone call - as if they were going to synagogue. The phone call itself consists of not much more than "How are you?" "Fine." "You?" "Fine, we're all fine."
After surviving the war, just hearing the family's voices on the phone was as formal and important as going to the synagogue or a wedding. You dress up.
"How are you, Hubski?"
"Fine. You?"
"Fine, we're all fine."
even if we're not.
I have 13 more papers to mark, then we'll see who's up.