Baruch Braun loved visiting his father at work. Mr. Braun owned a gourmet popcorn company Poppy’s Palatable Popcorn which smelled delicious the minute you walked into the building. The aroma of popping corn wafted through the open door as Baruch entered wrapping him in a warm cocoon. Mr. Braun was very enthusiastic about every aspect of his business from brainstorming new popcorn flavors and testing them out on his friends and family to running the machines and calling new stores to ask if they wanted to carry his product: “Did you want two cases of hot-dog-flavored popcorn and one of cheesecake flavored or was that the other way around?”

Baruch also loved everything about the family business and he loved when he had a Sunday off from yeshivah and his father allowed him to visit. This Sunday Mr. Braun said he could even bring his best friend Yitz if they were very careful in the factory and warehouse and agreed not to call his customers to tip them off to avoid the sriracha-cotton-candy flavor.

As Baruch and Yitz jumped out of the van that Sunday at nine thirty in front of the low brick building and entered Poppy’s the familiar scent of popcorn assailed them pleasantly. “Best smell in the world!” Baruch told Yitz breathing deeply.

“It’s good but… better than cholent?” Yitz asked incredulously.

Baruch nodded.

“Better than fresh warm challah!?”

Baruch considered for a minute then nodded.

“Better than the matzah bakery?!”

Baruch shook his head no. Yitz had him there. No there was no smell like a matzah bakery breathing Pesach and Seder night with every whiff.

Mr. Braun pocketed the keys to the front door and came up behind his son “Hey that’s an idea for a new flavor matzah-flavored popcorn. What do you boys think?”

“No!” they squawked together. “How about corned-beef-sandwich-flavored popcorn or birthday-cake-flavored instead?”