From buttons to shirts

I have a shirt which is missing two buttons. You would think it would be a simple matter to find matching buttons, or replacement buttons and move on. After visiting more button stores than I thought possible in Tel Aviv, I have yet to find replacement buttons. I even tried to find buttons that would work and replace them all. It seems that of the millions of buttons available in button stores, they are all either for women’s clothing or for arts and crafts projects. Walking through the shuk HaCarmel, I spotted a number of shirts with the right type of buttons, but it seemed silly to buy a shirt for spare parts. They were extremely cheap, so worst case scenario, when I finally find the right buttons only to discover they cost more than a new shirt, I may trade up.

Which reminds me; I was in shuk Betzalel and noticed a store selling Hawaiian shirts for five shekels (about $1.25). It seemed like a fantastic deal until I got close enough to actually feel the material. Apparently, the factory had a mishap and a batch or drapes got somehow mixed up with dish rags and paper towel, the resulting material was both scratchy and strangely absorbent. I guess in this case value isn’t everything.