YUP, YOU GUESSED IT!

Fred, the last man on your right

I did yesterday what I do best, have lunch. This time was another board member, my buddy Fred Salzberg. Fred is an ‘old-timer’ going way back to before the turn of the century. Having been president of the board and chairing committees along the way, Fred and I have worked together for many years. Being his experience has taken him to the far corners of board over-sight, it is always a good idea to hear what he says and consider it.

Meeting Fred for a non-business lunch, in his casual attire of shorts and t-shirt kind of lessens the formalness of knowing him and increases the casualness of enjoying his company.

A few years ago my good Jewish friend and I drove down from a business trip in Albany and along with two other fellows, stopped at Archer Avenue in the Bronx for dinner. The night before in a bar the four of us were sitting and discussing business, when all of a sudden, a cocktail fell in my lap! The fellow responsible was Jewish and this is important to the story. We all laughed at embarrassment as I dried my lap off and fortunately there was no other business that night.

The next day came as we stopped at Arthur Avenue in ‘Little Italy’ As we sat outside to dine al fresco, Fred reached for a glass of water and of course knocked it over into my lap once again. That was my second baptism of the week, both performed by Jews! I never let them forget it.