His brother was a singer. So what?

"Hoops after school?” Avi asked Nosson, his friend and fellow sixth-grader in Yeshivas Bnei Torah.

“Yeah, sounds good,” said Nosson. “But first we have to get through the rest of the afternoon.” They both rolled their eyes. Tuesdays meant a double lesson of geometry.

“Boys, to your seats.” Rabbi Leibowitz’s appearance stopped their conversation short. Both boys reluctantly settled down and looked at the isosceles triangle their teacher was drawing on the board. Basketball would just have to wait another hour and a half.

The five o’clock bell finally rang. Nosson and Avi picked up their bulging backpacks and headed out for the walk home.

At the corner Avi paused. “Let’s walk this way, okay? I need to pass by Shirim U’tzlilim.”

“Sure,” said Nosson lightly. “What do you need from the music store?”

“Oh c’mon, you know! Dovid’s CD is out,” said Avi.

“Dovid’s CD?” asked Nosson. “So what?”

“Gee, if I were you, I’d be so proud of my brother, the singer!” said Avi.

Nosson just rolled his eyes, but joined Avi as he entered Shirim U’tzlilim without another word. Avi whooped with delight when he saw Dovid’s CD, with his name prominently in the center, displayed right at the entrance.

“Hope they sell well,” said Avi fervently.

“Me too,” Nosson echoed flatly.

They got to Avi’s house and started shooting hoops, the game punctuated by conjectures of how many copies of Dovid’s CDs might be selling as they spoke.

“Hey, what’s he gonna do with all that money?” Avi asked suddenly. “Maybe he wants to contribute to your hoverboard fund?” He smirked.

Nosson didn’t seem amused. “Very funny. Even if he was rolling in dough, I don’t think he would want to use his money for my hoverboard.” His face shuttered.

They shot a few more hoops until Binyamin, Nosson’s little brother, poked his head into the backyard. “Avi,” he hollered, “your mother called. You have to go home.”

Avi said goodbye to Nosson and headed home, his head swirling with thought of CDs and microphones and cool older brothers.

The next day at recess Avi bounded over to Nosson. “Did you listen to the CD? Isn’t it great?”

“Yeah, we listened to it together last night. It was fun. And a little weird, like hard to believe it’s actually Dovid.”