One American Dream by Bernard Beck

Author:Bernard Beck
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: New York, American, America, United States, Immigrant, immigration, Jewish, Polish, Underclass, Privileged, Family, Family conflict, Success, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Writing, Faith, Spirituality, Roaring Twenties, Bohemian lifestyle, Unwed mother, Great Depression.
ISBN: 9781944995102
Publisher: Amberjack Publishing
Published: 2016-07-18T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

With a song in our hearts, we made our way into New York to celebrate. We had decided to treat ourselves to the best and most expensive kosher restaurant in the city, Lou G. Siegel. On the subway, going to Manhattan, we talked sporadically about the future. The rest of the time on the subway, and on our walk to the restaurant, we just held hands and dreamed.

The restaurant was crowded, and we were finally seated at a small table near the kitchen. Normally, Harry would have complained, but tonight he was too elated. We sat quietly, holding hands, with our fingers intertwined, sipping our cream sodas and waiting for our pastrami sandwiches.

As I sat there, amid the noise and excitement of the Sunday night crowd, holding Harry’s hand, I was thinking about my father’s remarkable change of heart. I just couldn’t believe that he had completely changed his mind on the basis of Harry’s promise to become more Orthodox. It was a kind of miracle, and it was not like him, not at all. He was cautious and methodical in everything. Why this abrupt change of heart?

And then, I understood.

Tears of anger and frustration involuntarily welled up in my eyes, and I freed my hand from Harry’s and searched in my pocketbook for a handkerchief. Harry looked at me with uncomprehending alarm.

“What is it?” he asked.

“I just thought about it,” I said through my tears, “and now I understand what he did.”

“Who?”

“My father. I’m sure that he’s not going to agree to our marriage. He just said he would agree in order to delay the decision. He’s hoping that in six months we will have parted ways.”

“And if we don’t?”

“He’ll just delay it again.”

“Until we give up.”

“Exactly. Until we give up. That’s his way of doing things.”

Harry reached across the table and took my hand again, but I took it back.

“Why do you think he’ll say no?” Harry asked.

“He’s always interested in maris ayin.”

“What’s that?”

“Appearances. He’s always worried about what other people will say about us. If I marry someone from outside our community, he will look bad.”

“No matter who it is?”

“Well, not absolutely. If I married some famous person or some rich guy from Fifth Avenue, that might make it OK.”

“I’m a rich guy from Fifth Avenue. Doesn’t that count?”

“Yes, but, and don’t take this the wrong way, you’re an editor. You are coaching me. You don’t have the right kind of yichus.”

“Yichus?”

“Unique quality. If you were a published author, for example, that would be yichus, or if you came from a family he heard of, that would be yichus.”

“What if I came from an impressive family that he never heard of?” Harry asked.

“Then the family would have to do something to impress him.”

“That’s the answer then! There is no one more impressive than my parents—especially my father. You said so yourself. Suppose we set up a meeting between my father and your father, or my parents and your parents. You want yichus? I’ll ask my parents to invite your parents to the apartment! That will impress them.

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