“So you helping Avram. You his friend.” The same shrug. “Any timetable yet? He wait for market to bounce back?” The old man shook his head, pleasurably dismayed at the world's inextinguishable folly.

Another man, younger but shrunken in limp squatness, sat forward facing and impassive beside him. “Meet my son, Benny. Benny! Say hello to the friend of Avram!”

Benny turned a childish smile. His thin voiced squeaked, “Hi, pleased to meetchew. My name is Benny,” and Benny, once his greeting was requited, turned again silently forward.