Logs:Teachable Moment

Teachable Moment
Dramatis Personae Joshua, Spencer	2021-01-04 "They understand everything except how Jews address the scripture."
Location <NYC> Evolve Cafe - Lower East Side
Spacious and open, this coffeeshop has a somewhat industrial feel to it, grey resin floors below and exposed-beam ceilings that have been painted up in a dancing swirl of abstract whorls and starbursts, a riot of colour splashed against a white background. The walls alternate between brick and cheerfully lime-green painted wood that extends to the paneling beneath the brushed-steel countertops. There's an abundance of light, though rather than windows (which are scarce) it comes from plentiful hanging steel lamps. The walls here are home to artwork available for sale; though the roster of prints and paintings and drawings and photographs changes on a regular basis it has one thing in common -- all the artists displayed are mutants. The seating spaced around the room is spread out enough to keep the room from feeling cluttered. Black chairs, square black tables that mostly seat two or four though they're frequently pushed around and rearranged to make space for larger parties. In the back corner of the room is more comfortable seating, a few large black-corduroy sofas and armchairs with wide tables between them. There's a shelf of card and board games back here available for customers to sit and play. The chalkboard menus hanging behind the counter change frequently, always home to a wide variety of drinks (with an impressive roster of fair-trade coffees and teas largely featured) though their sandwiches and wraps and soups and snacks of the day change often. An often-changing variety of baked goods sit behind the display case at the counter halfway back in the room, and the opposite side of the counter holds a small selection of homemade ice creams. A pair of single-user bathrooms flanks the stairway in back of the cafe; at night, the thump of music can be heard from above, coming from the adjoining nightclub of the same name that sits up the stairs above the coffeehouse. Monday's breakfast rush is always a longer affair than usual, and even moreso on the first Monday of a new year, when it lasts more than halfway to lunchtime. It's a dreary gray day outside, cold in that uncommittedly damp sort of way, but here inside it's cozy and warm and not so very crowded as it was earlier. Spencer is tucked into the corner of the couch in back, very slowly working on his hot cocoa. He's wearing a pale blue t-shirt with a huge red heart bracketed with yellow lightning bolts and the words 'Compassion is Invincible!' over a black thermal shirt, gray cargo pants, and blue sneakers. On his head is a black Bucharian kippah embroidered with stylized stars and planets in many colors, and despite its large coverage it's still obvious on closer inspection his head is shaved. The winter has been hard on him, and he looks ashen and exhausted and frightfully thin. "It wasn't anything personal," he insists, staring down into his mug. "Just -- I didn't want anyone else. I guess it's kinda childish." Joshua is slouched in an armchair catty-corner to Spence, off-work-casual today in jeans, a grey zip up hoodie over a Linkin Park tee, his thick hair messy underneath his red and black kippah. "I mean, understandable," he replies with a small lift of one shoulder, "I -- don't know if Ms. Briggs is really gonna be quite the, uh." His mouth twitches quick to one side. "Same experience." He lifts his coffee, takes a long swallow. "Think it'd be helpful to have someone, though, before you get to senior year with forty science credits and nothing else." Spencer hunches his shoulders. "I mean. She's nice and all but..." His face scrunches up with the effort of not rolling his eyes. "And like no one is going to be the same, even someone I like. You're probably right but..." He straightens up a touch, his voice indignant now, "I didn't pick all science classes I took that Judaism class and also 'Moral Leadership'." There are finger quotes around the last two words. "Uh huh." Joshua does not look greatly convinced by this, though some amusement creeps into his voice. "You learning a lot in that Judaism class? You know debate team is a whole entire extracurricular, if you're in a fighting mood." "I could teach that Judaism class better," Spencer says hotly. "Anyway it's not about being in a fighting mood, I just don't think it's ok to let a Christian-centric class on Jewry go unchallenged, I don't care if his girlfriend is Jewish or how many times he's been to Israel." Then, a little sheepishly. "But maybe I also. Was in a fighting mood. Am in a fighting mood." He shrugs. "Oh man, you should teach that class it would be great." "Would it be even greater because my schedule means I'd show up to maybe three classes per term?" Joshua's brows lift as he considers this possibility. "I guess in which case you could just. TA the class for me." One of his legs bounces restlessly, his hand absently dropping to it as if to physically forestall this tic. "Plus if I teach they might try giving me an office and I'm not really an office kind of person. What I actually wanted was to take over from Lauren." Spence's eyes glint with something of his wonted excitability. "Yeah obviously all the kids would love that, too. I bet I would be a great TA, I'd bring in Jewish foods and then we'd discuss the daf yomi. But like honestly maybe it should be like...a seminar. With rotating guest speakers on different aspects and experiences of Judaism." He's quiet for a moment, sipping his cocoa. "I was joking about the class, mostly. I know you're real busy, but if you think..." He chews on his pale, chapped lower lip. "I would like that, I just kinda -- feel like I should just suck it up and not be so much trouble." "Ambitious. I feel like daf yomi may be a little past an overview-of-Judaism-for-goyim course," Joshua muses, quiet, over another sip of coffee. "You aren't being trouble. Your advisor should be someone you're comfortable working with. Don't think it much matters the reason, if you can't talk to them they aren't -- doing you a lot of good." "Right, but how are they gonna learn if we don't challenge them?" Spencer doesn't actually seem very committed to this, though he's warming to it as he adopts an affected voice, "The tool is made to be pleasing, but it doesn't have any superfluous qualities." His fingertips rub against the glossy finish of the mug. "She tried to convince me to take her Yoga Meditation class," he mumbles, curling back in on himself again. "Like that was going to make it better. If you're sure it's not like...too much? You can be my advisor." These last words he manages only with difficulty, not looking at Joshua. Joshua actively facepalms at this, hand scrubbing down over his cheek. "Three hundred years of arguing, there is definitely shit in there that is -- neither pleasing nor necessary. Guess that's subjective, though. -- Would you teach your class by just thunking the Gemara down in front of them and telling them to work it out, then?" He drops his hand, accepts Spencer's final statement with only a nod. "Excellent. We can start with some meditative yoga." Spencer at least looks as though he's taking some solace in having elicited an actual facepalm. "They understand everything except how Jews address the scripture," he says loftily. "But I wouldn't make them work it out on an empty stomach." At Joshua's suggestion he snorts, rolling his eyes dramatically. "Good thing my schedule for the term is already full, between the science and the arguing. But if you really think it'll help?" He sounds at least half-sincere about this. "I'll consider it for spring."