Brookwrite

Columns - 2014

    Staying up to date

    We've secretly replaced the biblical setting of these ancestral assignations with twenty-first century online dating. Let's see if they notice.

    Eliezer: Hey.

    Rebecca: Hey.

    Eliezer: New on JDate?

    Rebecca: Yes. You?

    Eliezer: Yes. Well, no. I mean, I'm not on JDate for me.

    Rebecca: Excuse me?

    Eliezer: Well, I work for this guy named Abraham...

    Rebecca: Look, I don't think...

    Eliezer: Let me explain. He's got this son, Isaac. He's a good guy. But he's stuck at home, and Abraham, his father, wants him to have a wife from his birthplace -- which is where you're from.

    Rebecca: A wife? Jesus, buy a girl dinner first, at least.

    Eliezer: Who's Jesus?

    Rebecca: Some Jewish carpenter. But he's a little too young for me.

    Eliezer: Anyway, before I left, Abraham made me swear that I would not bring a wife for his son Isaac from the daughters of the Canaanites, so I put my hand under his thigh and vowed...

    Rebecca: You put what where?

    Eliezer: Never mind. You're right. I can't do this. I told him that a woman might not want to return with me. I asked him if I could bring Isaac with me, and he made me swear that wouldn't happen, too. Sorry to have wasted your time.

    Rebecca: Wait, wait. It's okay... Is he a good match?

    Eliezer: As your years go by with him, you'll find him only more blinded by love for you.

    Rebecca: Easy, killer. Tell you what, let's meet at the local watering hole. The one in Aram Naharaim?

    Eliezer: Sure! I'll meet you there! I'll be the one with ten camels.

    Rebecca: Thank you, I don't smoke. By the way, is he young?

    Eliezer: Who, Isaac? Sure. He's... His life so far has been as short as a stroll your descendants might take through the desert.

    Speaking of Isaac and Rebecca's descendents...

    Jacob: Hey.

    Rachel: That's how you say hello to a lady?

    Jacob: Sorry. I'm glad I found you on here.

    Rachel: Me, too.

    Jacob: It was nice meeting you at the local watering hole. It's turning into a family tradition.

    Rachel: Your family hangs out at bars?

    Jacob: No. I mean my father met his wife at a local watering hole. Well, actually, my grandfather's servant met her there, and he brought her home to him.

    Rachel: Servant? Your family can afford servants... Interesting... It was nice meeting you, too! You come around here often?

    Jacob: I only needed to once to meet you.

    Rachel: LOL.

    Jacob: What does that mean?

    Rachel: Everything you say is written in a scroll with no vowels or punctuation and you're on my case about an acronym?

    Jacob: OMG, you're right.

    Rachel: This is no time for prayer.

    Jacob: So... what do I have to do to win your heart?

    Rachel: Work for my father for seven years.

    Jacob: Excuse me? Was that a typo?

    Rachel: Which part?

    Jacob: Any of it being a typo will help.

    Rachel: No typos.

    Jacob: Seven years, huh?

    Rachel: I'm worth it. Trust me.

    Jacob: Your humility makes you so hot.

    Rachel: No, living in the desert does.

    Jacob: LOL.

    After seven years of labor, Laban secretly replaced Rachel the bride with her sister, Leah. Let's see what happened, since he did notice.

    Rachel: Why are we talking on this thing again? Aren't we long past dating?

    Jacob: I don't know. Let me ask my wife.

    Rachel: Oh. Yeah. Sorry about that. But when my father sets his mind about something, he sets his mind about something.

    Jacob: I wasn't trying to marry your father. Though at this rate, he might be next for all I know.

    Rachel: I'm sorry. She's older, she had to go first. But, look, you can marry me next.

    Jacob: I just have to work another seven years for it?

    Rachel: Well, yeah...

    Jacob: And I'll be married to both you and your sister.

    Rachel: Yup... You know... There are a few other websites where that kind of thing is pretty popular...

    Jacob: You're going to get into a lot of trouble for saying that.

    Doug Brook is a writer in Silicon Valley who is going to get into a lot of trouble for saying that. For past columns, other writings, and more, visit http://brookwrite.com/. For exclusive online content, follow facebook.com/the.beholders.eye.

    Copyright Doug Brook. All rights reserved.