A lad named Devendra walked proudly alone
Through a town on the Pacific that he proudly called Home.
He was joyful and content, a faithful Agnostic
Who had a wit that was true and abundant and caustic.
His passion and delight came in dealing with sound
For TV and movies, until one day he found
That the same passion and delight began to swell and to fatten,
Caused by a woman who lived in midtown Manhattan.
He had known her before and knew she was a catch.
They had worked together once on a show called Miss Match.
Time passed, and their paths crossed again.
He had dated her before and knew she was a 10,
But this time it was different; he was in a different place
And his body reacted strangely when he next saw her face.
Suddenly he began to sweat,
Though the sun had long been set.
He wore a freshly-laundered shirt and yet
Now it was sticky and clingy and wet.
They walked toward each other and in the middle, they met.
His gaze locked with hers, eye to eye, and he let
His hand take hers. Softly, in a tête-à-tête,
He said, "I'll bet
You feel the same as me. But never fret,
Though we have no net,
We can fall together and I'll always get
You back on your feet." He reached out to pet
Her hair and fix her barrette.
He saw his watch...and practically shet
His pants. He cried, "I owe this guy Chet,
A Vietnam vet,
a spectacular debt
for sound equipment. I gotta jet!"
And with that, he was gone.
(how's that for exhausting all possible rhymes, eh?)
Deb and Devendra began a bi-coastal fling
That soon was not a fling. It was something
Greater. More meaningful. It was deeper.
And Devendra decided that here was a keeper.
Opposites attract: Deb was a girl, Devendra a boy.
Deborah was Jewish, Devendra a goy.
So he set out to know more about her culture and religion.
He found that it's a faith with very strong women
And he liked that. He liked her confidence and her belief
And soon Judaism was floating through his mind like a leaf.
He thought, "Hey! Maybe I should become a Jew!
I think it would impress her, and probably her parents, too!"
And, thus, Devendra began to study the Torah.
He developed a craving for latkes. He bought a menorah.
He began to take classes and prepared to convert.
Deep in his heart he began to assert
His faith and love and respect for the practice.
He absorbed the religion like water in cactus.
Then the day came for him to meet her Mom and Dad.
It went pretty well, thanks to a glass of wine he had had.
When confronted with religion, Deb came to his aid.
She strove to uphold the groundwork they'd laid.
"Poppa, he's a good man, so please do not heckle!
Why, just recently, he had bris performed on his shmeckle!
He's an alrightnik, dear Bubeleh, he's sweet and is hamisch.
Just the other day, he ate a gefilte fish sandwich!
This man is no shlemiel, meshugeneh, or shnook.
Now look at his face! How can you argue with that look?"
Her Poppa smiled and knew she was right.
From that day forward, Devendra and Poppa were tight.
Momma said, "Look, I know this man is no mensch.
He's dated some shiksas, but never a wench.
He's got some gelt, doesn't seem to have shpilkes.
And without you, my dear, he doesn't have bubkis."
Her Momma smiled, for she knew he was not squalid.
From that day forward, Devendra and Momma were solid.
Now, a long-distance love is a difficult thing
And once, early on, he said, "maybe this is a fling?"
But his rabbi heard this and said, "Such a woman! And you with your luck!
Devendra, boychick, don't be a schmuck!"
But a schmuck he was not, as everyone knew.
His lessons continued and his affinity grew
For the religion and the culture it nourished and fed
And one Sunday night while studying in bed,
His computer rang (or whatever it is they do).
He answered his Skype to find Deb and his heart grew.
"Hi," he said. "Hi," she said back.
And deep into the night they yakked on their Macs.
Won't you now raise your glass
And help me toast a man of class
Along with his beautiful lass.
Through that door, a finer couple have not passed.
Here's to the celebration that has brought us together.
Here's to the Gods that have given us gorgeous weather.
Here's to the faith that, to one, is so new.
Here's to Devendra, one mighty fine Jew!
Mazel Tov!
