So one fine Friday morning several years ago, the
Chatham County Commission was in session. Typically, before discussing things like
budgets,
cutbacks,
graft,
construction projects,
liquor licenses, and things of this nature, an
invocation is made. Usually, this is by some member of the clergy who prays that
the commission might administer all affairs fairly and under divine providence.
Occasionally, when a member of the cloth isn't available, a commissioner will make the invocation. On this day, they chose a commissioner who happened to be Jewish.
You have to understand: this guy is about as secular as you get. No yamica; doesn't keep kosher; works on Rosh Hashana; goes to shul for a bar-mitzvah. Yet, I guess in some small way, he does identify religiously -- yet he doesn't really know what to say. So, without preamble, he walks up to the mike and belts out: "Baruch ata adonai eloheinu melech ha-olam, hamotzi lechem min ha-aretz", and sits down without further explanation.
Whereupon my friends and I burst out laughing, as this is the blessing over bread!