Our eyes see, our ears hear, our brains register, and we draw conclusions. These conclusions often explain events accurately. Yet, sometimes, through our senses, we are...

Taken for a Ride

Our good friends the Steins were making a wedding Monday night. Since the wedding hall was in a remote area, I decided the cheapest and most convenient way to get there would be to organize a van. I called a van company and they quoted me a price of 200 shekels for a 10-seater van. Even though we only had 8 people, I decided to reserve the 10 seater. I would try to find two more people to go with us, or at least to return home with us from the wedding.

Monday evening all 8 of us gathered, and what pulls up but a van for 18! "What's going on?" I asked the driver. "We ordered a van for 10." He explained that there were no 10-seater vans available, so they sent a van for 18. But we could only use 10 places at the special price of 200 shekels.

At the wedding I found another couple, the Katz's, who wanted to return with us. They boarded with us and took their seats. As we were pulling out of the parking lot, Mr. Katz started yelling at the driver: "Why are you pulling out with eight empty seats? There are so many people here who would want to be included. What an absolute waste of space!" Then he started yelling at all the passengers: "And why aren't any of you doing anything about this? Why are you letting him get away with this?" Someone tried to explain, but Mr. Katz was so annoyed that he wasn't even listening.

Our senses trick us time and again, yet we continue to take them at face value. Although we need to rely on our senses for information about the world, however, our Creator has commanded us to doubt their infallibility.

The Other Side of the Story Archives

Based on "The Other Side of the Story" by Mrs. Yehudis Samet, ArtScroll Series

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