Larry, put his fork down and smiled at Hannah. "Those latkes are the best I've tasted since my Bubbe passed away," he told her.
"Who are you kidding? When did your Bubbe ever even pour you a bowl of cereal much less make latkes," Hannah retorted.
He chuckled. "Cruel but true. I remember Mom trying her hand one Hanukkah and giving up somewhere around the middle of grating the second onion. Grandma laughed at her and pulled a box from the freezer. They weren't bad as I recall."
"Ah my poor goyishe yid," she said. "So much I have to teach you. Latkes are a dish made from love. The tears from the onions and the blood from scraping your knuckles on the grater add to the flavor."
"And the inevitable guilt?" he quipped.
"Of course, what's love without a little guilt? Of course putting ketchup on them instead of applesauce is almost akin to eating pastrami on white bread? I should be insulted."
"They're potatoes! What's so different from French fries or home fries? I like ketchup." Larry looked hurt. "Besides, what's wrong with pastrami..."
"Don't even go there!" Hannah rolled her eyes and pretended to gag.
"All right, all right, Next time, I'll eat them with applesauce."
He smiled at her. She looked radiant even with an apron covering her classy red satin blouse and blue calf length wool skirt. Since he had started dating Hannah, Larry had seen a whole new world open to him, world that should have been familiar to him but was not. His family worked hard at their secularism and so Hannah's Jewish ness was not only illuminating it was seductive. She was the sexiest woman he had ever dated. Whenever he looked at her he was reminded of a line from an old Tracy-Hepburn movie, "what's there is 'cherce'." She was firm in the right spots and soft in the right spots. Furthermore, though he wasn't sure it was exotic curiosity or erotic revelation but her observance of Jewish law seemed to heighten her sensuality. She took him to realms he never experienced. It was as if she gloried in teaching him all the sensual aspects that could be explored through their combined heritage.
She had cleared the dishes and taken off her apron. Her blouse shimmered and reflected the two candles that were lit on the menorah at the center of the table. Hannah knew that Larry liked soft, shiny material and truthfully the feel of the satin on her own skin made her tingle with anticipation. She smiled at him.
"What?" he asked.
"Oh, I thought we might play a little Dreidel," she said.
"You're joking, right? It's a kid's game."
"Don't be so hasty to judge. I bet you don't even know how to play."
She was right. Larry never played Dreidel in his life.
Hannah took an elaborately carved top from a small box that was near the Menorah. It was painted blue with white Hebrew letters on each of its four sides. The colors had faded with age but the Dreidel looked perfectly serviceable.
"This was my grandfather's. I imagine it should have gone to my brother when but I was the one who always begged to bring it out on the first night and I was the best player in the family. Jakey wanted Pop Pop's cufflinks and watch anyway. He didn't mind me taking the Dreidel."
Larry smiled. His family would never have thought twice about such an insignificant little toy.
Hannah sat down on the floor in front of the fireplace. She looked like a model with her stocking clad legs shifting demurely under her skirt. "Okay, big boy, let's see what you can do. I'm going to take you to the cleaners," her smile was a wicked one. Larry quickly sitting cross legged opposite her.
"Now," she said as she displayed the top in her hand. "See the letters on each side. There are four. Together they represent the first letters of the saying, Ness Gadol Hayah Sham, which means, a great miracle happened there. Dreidels in Israel say, a great miracle happened here. This is Gimmel. It means 'whole'. If that side lands facing up you get to take the whole kitty. Opposite that is Shin which means you have to pay into the kitty. Then you have Nun, you get nothing and opposite that is the letter Hei, you get half of the kitty."
"I've heard all this," Larry said. "What are we playing for?"
She grinned and said, "Hanukkah gelt is the usual prize but I have a variation we might consider. We each start by putting one item of clothing into the kitty. Pairs like shoes and socks count as one item each. Jewelry doesn't count. The person who wins all of the other's clothes wins the game. Simple?"
The smile on Larry's face indicated that it was. He immediately took off his shoes and placed it between them. Hannah did likewise and then handed him the Dreidel. He took the stubby handle in his fingers and placed the worn point on the floor. Looking into Hannah's green eyes, he smiled and gave the top a spin. Hannah hummed the first phrase of Sevivon while the blue and white toy twirled into a blur. It skittered a tiny bit, slowed and fell over.
"Shin," said Hannah. "You have to put something in."
Smiling, Larry unbuttoned his shirt and added it to the shoes. He wore no tee shirt and so Hannah was treated to a nice view of his strong arms and chest which was lightly covered in salt and pepper, grey and brown hair. She felt warmth in her crotch area.
"My turn." She grabbed the top and deftly spun it, whistling the same tune as before. It bobbled to a halt showing a Gimmel. Hannah smiled and took all the items from the pile and laid them at her side. Larry took notice that she did not replace her own shoes upon her feet. He picked up the Dreidel and took his spin. This time he picked up on the tune and hummed along with Hannah.
Shin.
Larry pulled his socks from his feet and placed them in the kitty area between them.
Hannah spun Shin as well and added her blouse to the pile.
"I suppose I could have been mean and added my stockings but you were so nice to put your shirt in the first time." She giggled and stuck her tongue out at him. Larry felt stiffness in his crotch. Hannah had chosen a red bra that was of such fine mesh that her nipples and aureole were plainly visible through the cups. The straps were the same red satin as her blouse. He could not take his eyes off of her as he groped about for the top.
Gaining a bit of control, he spun and the Dreidel came up Hei.
