Mac and I went out this morning. As we passed the synagogue on the way to Queens Boulevard, a jovial-looking Orthodox Jewish man in black came out. The Orthodox man was fifteen feet away on the steps of the synagogue. Mac stopped and stared, still holding my hand.

"Well, hello," the man said. "Hello."

Mac stared at him.

"Do you have sneakers?" the man said.

Mac stared at him.

"Are you out for a walk in your sneakers?" the man said.

Mac stared at him.

"Aren't you a cutie?" the man said.

Mac stared at him.

The man went down the steps. "How old his he?"

"He's two," I said.

"What a cutie," the man said to Mac.

"Thank you," I said.

Mac stared at him.

The man waved. "Bye bye," he said. "Bye bye."

Mac stared at him.

The man waved again. "Bye bye," he said. He turned and walked away.

Still holding my hand, Mac considered the receding figure. He stared after him a few more seconds and then yelled "BYE BYE HAT!"