Page !
Friday, September 15
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and The Legal Chronicle
1944
Fr
What's In A Name? -
By CHARLES WARANOW
ing himself a failure, was reluc-
tant to attend and sit at the foot
of the table in the company of
Zalman Slotnick and other in-
competents. He could not afford
to court Jake's displeasure by
his absence, however.
When Max had been in the
country seven years, he served
as usher at the wedding of a
friend. The groom had invited
the foreman of the shop where
he worked—a Scotchman named
Angus MacGregor—and Max was
delegated to see that MacGregor
was honored with a place near
the bridal couple at the head of
the table and plied with plenty
of food and drink, particularly
the latter. MacGregor, however,
did not arrive until after the
grand march to the dining room.
This was the era before the for-
mality of place cards that went
with what Max terms "ge-cat-
ered" meals, and some one ap-
propriated the place he had re-
served for MacGregor. Max apol-
ogized for the necessity of plac-
ing him near the foot of the
table rather than at the head.
And the other laughed and said
that since his name was Mac-
Gregor, it made no difference
where he sat.
Puzzled by MacGregor's state-
ment, Max asked him to explain
what he meant, if his name is
MacGregor it made no difference
where he sat. And MacGregor
related the familiar legend of the
feast at the castle of a Scottish
(Reprinted from Opinion)
That very Scotch patronymic
of, MacGregor borne by a man
who
se lingo trumpeted his origin
in Minsk, intrigued me.
"The nearest I get to Scot-
land," laughed Max MacGregor,
"Is the ship that brings me here
passes a hundred miles outside
Glasgow."
That, said Max, was in De-
3mber of 1900, when he was 20
years old. His steerage ticket
had been provided by his cousin,
Jake Tash, then 10 years in the
United States and prosperous.
Max was duly impressed with
Jake Tash's sumptuous home,
when he came to the dinner, a
week later, that Jake tendered
his relations annually on the
lighting of the first Chanukah
candle. It was at once palpable
to Max that, together with Jake,
four cousins whom he especially
favored constituted the family
aristocracy.
"Louie and Sadie, sit here by
me on this side . . . You, Morris
and Becky, on my other side .. .
Sam and Ida, next to Louie and
Sadie . . . Hyman and Etta, next
to Morris and Becky."
After surrounding himself with
these couples, Jake grouped about
a dozen other persons rather
hurriedly and less ceremoniously,
as of secondary importance, and
then dismissed the remainder of
his guests with wave of hand.
"Look how they are holding
back, like strangers!"
In the latter category, Max
found himself at the foot of the
table in the company of some
half dozen others in the green-
horn-class. At Max's side sat
Zalman Slotnick, a second cou-
sin. True, Zalman was not a
greenhorn. He was a fellow voy-
ager of Jake Tash. But while
Jake possessed energy and initia-
tive, Zalman was a passive ne'er-
do-well. Now, moreover, Zalman
committed a breach of etiquette
in belittling his host while gorg-
ing himself with his evcellent
food and drink. Their rich cous-
in, he muttered, was an ignor-
amus. A vulgarian. An exhibi-
tionist. What was this dinner
every Chanukah but amean s,
like adorning his wife with dia-
monds and seal-skincoat, of pro-
claiming his success to the world!
But approach Jake for a favor,
sneered Zalman, and see how
far you would get.
From Zalman, Max learned the
status of his relations. Louie
manufactured men's clothin g.
Sam—women's wear. Morris op-
erated in real estate. Hyman
had a flourishing hardware store.
And sitting next to a Zalman
who was consumed with jealousy
of Jake and his other successful
cousins, Max foresaw a day—
not too far in the future—when
Jake must acknowledge his prog•
less by inviting him to sit with
the elect at the head of the
table.
To part of Zalman's appraisal
of their mutual cousin, Max
agreed. He found Jake Tash vul-
gar and egotistic. But Zalman's
charge that one appealed to him
in vain for any favor was not
true in Max's case. Max warmly
acknowledged his indebtedness to
Jake. He was never refused the
loan of sums up to a hundred
dollars, or the endorsement of a
small note. He could freely refer
to Jake as a business reference;
and Jake always listened sympa-
thetically to Max's problems and
offered shrewd, constructive ad-
vice.
Max's early years in this coun-
try represented the struggle typ-
ical of many an immigrant. For
months and months he would
tramp the countryside with a
pack of notions scourging his
back, and in a few weeks lose
the fruits of his labor in the
operation of a small store. Then
a return to peddling or factory
work until he had accumulated
a new stake for another business
venture.
His commercial fiascos Max
blamed on the fact that he oper-
ated on a very small capital. He
felt that if he once knew the
bliss of operating on big capital, I
success would be assured and
Rosh Hashonah Greetings
rapid.
"And ask me what was to me
in them days big capital," chuck-
led Max. "A thousand dollars!"
From time to time Max drop-
13753 Woodward Ave.
ped a subtle hint to Jake of the
Highland Park
magic he could perform with a
thousand dollars. The astute
TO. 8.8191
Jake, however, chose to remain
obtuse to Max's hints.
•
Thus passed several years. Each
Chanukah Jake Tash invited Max
HELP BACK THE ATTACK
for the • elaborate dinner. After
BUY MORE WAR BONDS
three or four years, Max, deem-
I
Rosh Hashonah Greetings
Rosh Hashonah Greetings
Bernbaum Pharmacy
BENNETT BROS.
Prescriptions Compounded
TO. 8-6888
401 W. JEFFERSON
•
•
— Buy More Bonds —
Bring Our Boys Home Sooner!
Ming Our Boys Home Sooner!
— Buy More Bonds —
Artistic Upholsterers
WOODMERE
SCRAP IRON
Metal Co.
9101 W. FORT ST.
VI. 2395
Bring Our Boys Home Sooner!
— Buy More Bonds —
•k•
Best Wishes For A
Happy and Prosperous
New Year!
Rosh Hashonah Greetings
SEASON'S
GREETINGS
Creators of Fine Furniture
Wayne Laundry Co.
7755 GRAND RIVER AVE.
TY. 6-7500
12641 Woodrow Wilson
Bring Our Boys Home Sooner!
— Buy More Bonds —
I Buy More War Bonds
r
■ 11 ■, ..1•1 ■■■■•■11 ,,,
ROSH HASHONAH
GREETINGS
A Happy New Year to All!
WOODLAND TIRE
I
ROSH HASHONAH
GREETINGS
TEAL BROS.
RECAPPING CO.
Sellers of Fine Automobiles
WEBB-WOOD INN
24-Hour Service on Recapping
All Work Guaranteed
Dancing Every Nite
8215 HARPER AVE.
PL. 8432
Bring Our Boys Home Sooner!
— Buy More Bonds —
4,
Best Wishes For A
Happy and Victorious
New Year
B144/11414
WAR BONDS
American flyers with the RAF as
raining demolition bombs on Nazi
cities today. These instruments of
destruction so important in razing
Nazi war plants, interrupting rail
road transportation and other wat
objectives, range now unto several
tons.
1778 W. FORT ST.
LA. 0412
Help Back the Attack!
Rosh Hashonah Greetings
•
The 500-pound demolition Bomb it
Bernie Frant
MANSFIELD'S
2nd Floor
LAFAYETTE BLDG.
one of the lighter ones. Bands arc
attached to facilitate handling and
the fins are not attached until the
Bomb reaches the airfield, becausi
bending would injure accuracy:
They cost up to $500. Your pur•
chase of War Bonds through the
Payroll Savings Plan will help pro.
vide Bombs for our airmen. Let'i
1
1
I r
expel
of th
tee F
expel'
sociol
men,
its it
ways
anti-:
Th
tious]
and
divide
Semi
haust
and
anti-!
when
matte
batth
pund
so n
their
in a
very
Th
mock
then,
be a
the
Not
emot
and
the s
licity
pieta
pity,
helpl,
peop.
On t
harm
a he
soul,
sors.
So
gain
yet,
profs
1 .....,
(
1. 882
Bri
"Top that Ten Percent."
U. S. Treasury Derarimeo
RO3
S
Rosh Hashonah Greetings!
Rosh Hashonah Greetings
SPEAR DRUG CO.
8788 Linwood
TY. 5.2567
ICE CREAM CO.
See Us First for
All Your Drug Needs
1951 E. FERRY
Prescriptions Our Specialty
PLAZA 3305
•
• Buy More War Bonds
Imo.
A
11640 WOODWARD
at Woodlawn
11651 WOODWARD AVE.
TO. 7.9640
TO. 6.9190
• Buy More War Bonds
NEW YEAR
GREETINGS
At this time of the year we desire to
express our sincerest wishes to the
entire Jewish community.
Br:
It is our earnest hope that the
New Year may bring peace and
good will to all mankind.
BEST WI ''
3
THE
TO. 8.2330
•
•
4.
RUFF
I
I
Mt
DEXTER BLVD.
Cor. Fullerton
CA. 9143
•
FDR
TOM'S QUALITY
MARKET
Allen's Men's Wear
•
chief at which other leading
With this conclusion, a bright
chiefs were among the guests, idea struck Max. While realizing
!including the influential Mac- that a name like Magofsky was
Gregor. MacGregor, however, ar- rather a handicap in the business
riving when the feast was al- world, he had not been able to
ready in progress, did not get decide on a new name that
a place near the head of the would bear a resemblanc e to
table to which his rank entitled old. And here was a n a m e mad e
him but was forced to sit with to order!
the lesser gentry at the foot of
"How far is it Alite(4..gor from
the table. Wishing to placate Magofsky?" d e ill a n 11 c ti Max
his important guest the host said "'Every time you give your
that it was MacGregor's own name or sign your name,' I sa id
fault that he was not seated at to myself, 'it'll remind you, Max
the head of the table; whereupon MacGregor, that, like the Scot ch.
the arrogant MacGregor delivered man MacGregor, where you sit
a classic retort: "Where Mac-
See NAME—Pag e 15
Gregor sits, there is the headgi
of the table!"
"Pretty good, eh!" said Max.
"In other words, what's the dif-
cic40
ference where a man sits—it's
-
I
hope
Americans
the man himself that's impor-
will figure out for
tant. I said to myself: 'Alva!
That is a lesson! It don't make
themselves addi-
no difference that your cousin
tional payroll say-
Jake Tash keeps you sitting with
ings.
the greenhorns and Zalman Slot-
nick and other no-accounts at
the foot of the table. If you got
the stuff in you, Max Magofsky,
you can be like MacGregor
2/
Where you sit can be the head
of the table.•
Rheaume's
Restaurants