Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friend
Brussels, Belgium
I AM WONDERING about my passengers on this flight that I am working from Brussels, Belgium, to Tel Aviv, Israel. Quite a few of these men are diamond dealers from Antwerp, Belgium. Antwerp is the diamond capital of the world, for hundreds of years the global hub for cutting, polishing, buying and selling diamonds, they proudly tell me.
Many of the men on my flight are orthodox Hasidic Jews- diamond cutters, diamond traders, scholars and students. They wear long black coats and black hats with brims. They are pale and bespectacled, faintly otherworldly. Thousands of dollars in diamonds tucked in pockets are on board this airplane, I muse.
One Hasidic man stands out from the rest. He is young, good looking as a movie star, not pasty and studious like the others. He is beautifully dressed, his camelhair coat immaculately tailored, hat tipped rakishly on his head, payot (sidecurls) tucked behind his ears. His dark eyes flash as he strides through the cabin of the airplane. I see orthodox women stealing glances at him, Hasidic hearts fluttering. Yes, he really is that handsome.
Eventually, I find an opportunity to talk to him. He is charismatic and engaging, well aware of the effect he has on women, including me. He is a diamond trader from Antwerp, married, the father of four children. His name is Motti, a trendy nickname for the biblical name Mordecai. He hands me his business card.
“Ann,” he says. “When you get ready to get married, give me a call.” Motti raises his eyebrows and smiles at me. “I’ll give you a good deal on a diamond.”
How many diamonds has this guy sold using that charm and good looks? It seems as though a lot!