Abraham's Son, Chapter 25

 INT. ABRAHAM'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

After putting Ike to bed that same evening, ABRAHAM begins his study of the U.N. resolution on climate change.  This lasts for many days as the resolution is voluminous and very detailed.  He also reads as much as he can about the issue of climate change.  ABRAHAM wants to know as much as possible about climate change for when he confronts ROBERT, to beat back all of ROBERT's potential arguments.  

INT. SANCTUARY AT ABRAHAM'S SYNAGOGUE - DAY

With IKE on next Saturday morning, ABRAHAM participates in shabbos services plus prays for God's help on his mission for God.

ABRAHAM:  (whispering) Please, dear God, give me the strength to fulfill the mission you have bestowed upon me.  But, also please help me to protect the child whose life is more precious to me than my own.  

INT. BOOK STORE - DAY

With IKE, ABRAHAM is at checkout line at a local Barnes & Noble with two books for his son and two books on climate change.

INT. OFFICE OF PROFESSOR AT QUEENS COLLEGE - DAY 

ABRAHAM consults with local PROFESSOR who is an expert on climate change.

ABRAHAM:  PROFESSOR, thank you for seeing me today.  As I told you over the phone, I've been studying the U.N. resolution on climate change and I have some questions I hope you can answer.

PROFESSOR:  Sure.  I'd be happy to help in any way I can.

INT. ABRAHAM'S BEDROOM - DAY

ABRAHAM makes phone call to ROBERT's cell phone.

ROBERT SILVER (O.S.):  Hello, ROBERT SILVER.

ABRAHAM:  Yes, Robert.  It's me, ABRAHAM SHAPIRO.  How are you?

ROBERT SILVER (O.S.):  Fine...busy.

ABRAHAM:  Yes.  I understand.  Congratulations on your new position with the president.

ROBERT SILVER (O.S.):  Thanks.  I appreciate it, ABRAHAM, but I am very busy here at the White House.

ABRAHAM:  Sure, but I'd like to make an appointment to come see you at the White House.  Not a social call.  It is of great importance.

ROBERT is surprised by what ABRAHAM said.

ROBERT SILVER (O.S.):  Okay.  I'll switch you to my secretary who'll schedule an appointment.  See you soon.  

INT. ROBERT SILVER'S OFFICE - DAY

ROBERT puts ABRAHAM on hold and connects to his secretary.

ROBERT SILVER:  (talks to secretary) PHYLLIS, please schedule an appointment for my friend ABRAHAM SHAPIRO.

PHYLLIS:  Of course, Mr. Silver. (talking to ABRAHAM) Mr. Shapiro, this is PHYLLIS, Mr. SILVER's secretary.  I can put you down on the schedule for the first Tuesday, next month at 9 AM.  Is that convenient for you?

ABRAHAM (O.S.):  What?  That's almost three weeks away.

PHYLLIS:  I'm sorry, but Mr. SILVER is very busy.  Please check in at the White House gate when you arrive.  See you then.  

ABRAHAM (O.S.):  Thank you.

Costa do Sauipe

In the summer of 1983, my first wife Bonita, my seven year-old daughter Rachel and I took a two week vacation to Hawaii.  Rachel has referred to this as the family's best vacation.  It was wonderful, especially our time on Maui.

However, my son Bret was not born until two years later.  Ironically, he has travelled to Hawaii for work several times and the rest of us not at all since 1983.

In the winter of 2004-2005, before Bret's trips to Hawaii, I decided to take him to another tropical location, to sort of make up for him not going on our family vacation to Hawaii.  We went to a resort in the Brazilian State of Bahia.

He and I flew from New York to Sao Paulo and then transferred to another flight to Salvador, the capital of Bahia.  From there, we took a special bus to Costa do Sauipe.

This resort is in essence a gated community consisting of five hotels plus restaurants, stores and various activities available to all its guests.  We stayed at the Sofitel Hotel.

Bret and I enjoyed a breakfast and dinner buffet as guests of the hotel.  We lunched at one of the restaurants outside the hotel.

One day, we sat an outdoor restaurant and placed our order with a waiter.  Our food took a very long time to arrive until we realized that our order was delivered to the wrong table.  The two men there ate the food we ordered but refused to pay for it since it wasn't what they ordered.  We eventually got our food.

One night we went to a bar and Bret got his first legal alcoholic beverage, a caipirinha.  The legal age in Brazil is eighteen, while in the US it is twenty-one.  Bret was nineteen.

Between meals, we spent time at the hotel's pool.  Early in the morning Bret liked to drink agua de coco right from the freshly cut coconuts available free to the hotel's guests.  I remember strolling on the beautiful sandy beach on Costa do Sauipe.  One day, Bret and I went horseback riding.

I didn't want Bret to think that this resort was typical of Brazil.  So, I hired a taxi driver to take us to Salvador, the capital of Bahia.  Our first stop was at the Basilica do Senhor do Bonfim, the most famous church in Bahia.  As we got out of our taxi, we were mobbed by parishioners who put religious bands on our wrists.

We then went to the Mercado Modelo where I bought Bret a jersey of the Brazilian national football team.  In the old part of Salvador, we visited a museum dedicated to the Brazilian author Jorge Amado, a couple of whose books I had read in English.  We had hot dogs from a street vendor for lunch.

On our return to the airport in Sao Paulo, we discovered that a snow storm in New York caused our flight there to be cancelled.  Luckily, we were able to get on a flight to Miami.

Once in Miami, Bret and I put our names on a waiting list for the one flight that was able to leave for New York.  We were lucky to get a couple of the last seats available.  

I remember arriving in New York while a storm was still hitting the area and we were not appropriately dressed.  But we survived.         

Exodus

 Exodus is a 1960 epic historical drama film about the founding of the State of Israel in 1948. Produced and directed by Otto Preminger, the screenplay was written by Dalton Trumbo from the 1958 novel of the same name by Leon Uris. 

The film stars Paul Newman, Eva Marie Saint, Ralph Richardson, Jill Haworth, Peter Lawford, Lee J. Cobb, Sal Mineo, John Derek and George Maharis.  Ernest Gold won the Academy Award for Best Music Score.

The film begins with thousands of European Jews, struggling to build a new life in Palestine, are forced by the British Army into an internment camp on the island of Cyprus.  The Arabs don't want them arriving in Palestine, a country they want all for themselves after they attempt to expel the British who had governed the country since the end of World War I.  

Through chicanery, Ari (Newman) smuggles over six hundred internees out of the camp onto a cargo ship (renamed the Exodus) bound for Palestine.  The British blockade the ship in the harbor.

Ari calls for a hunger strike to force the British to relent.  It eventually succeeds.  The Exodus sails to Palestine.

When the British pull out of Palestine in May 1948, the Jewish residents declare their independence as the State of Israel in the area designated for them by the United Nations.  However, fighting erupts between the Israelis and the Arab residents of Palestine plus invading neighboring Arab states who do not want the Jewish state to exist.

In 1948, the Jews were considered victims both of the Nazi driven Holocaust in Europe and the attacks by Arabs who outnumbered them.  After 75 years of successful statehood along with economic prosperity, Israel's perception by much of the world has been transferred from victimhood to oppressor of their Arab neighbors.

Thomas Sowell (author and social critic) was asked how Jews can stop being hated.   His response was, "Fail."

 

Trip to Brazil

 At approximately 6 AM on Saturday, December 23, 2023, my daughter Rachel, her husband Mike and her children Nate and Leo arrived at Guarulhos Airport, Sao Paulo, Brazil.  After picking up a rental car (Localiza), they proceeded to our apartment on Rua Conego Eugenio Leite in Pinheiros.  

At approximately 9:15 AM the same day, my son Bret and his wife Pam arrived by plane as well.  They took an Uber to get to us.  

On their arrivals I had pao de queijo for all of them, a traditional Brazilian pastry.  For lunch, Cristina ordered tortas de palmito and legumes.  She also prepared rice, beans and a salad.

I led a walking tour of our neighborhood that included our supermarket Oba and our bakery/restaurant AJ.  All were impressed.  

For dinner, we went to IT Sushi on Rua dos Pinheiros.  After, we had ice cream at Bacio di Latte.  

My grandchildren stayed overnight in our apartment.  My children and their spouses had reservations at the Hilton Garden Inn on Reboucas.

On Sunday, December 24, we all drove (in two cars) to Itapetininga.  We stopped on the way at Castelinho da Pamonha (corn store).  Next stop would be at the home of Cristina's cousin Yara and her husband Beto.  My family was received by Cristina's family with great warmth and hospitality.  We stayed overnight at the Colonial Flat Hotel (owned by Marcos and Viviane, Yara's daughter).

At Christmas, December 25, my family participated in Beach Tennis near Yara's home.  Afterwards, we all enjoyed a Christmas party at the home of Marcos and Viviane.  After lunch, my family drove to our apartment in Guaruja (Rua Benjamin Constant).

On Tuesday, December 26, my family had lunch at Glamour Restaurant.  They spent time on Pitangueras Beach, which was very crowded.  That was followed by dinner at Tahiti.

On Wednesday, December 27, all six of my family lunched at the por kilo on Benjamin Constant (Fogao Caipira).  They played Beach Tennis in the afternoon.  They dined at Avelino's.

On Thursday, December 28, my family returned to Sao Paulo.  Cristina and I plus my family lunched at Le Jazz Boulangerie on Joaquim Antunes.  After, my family took the Metro to Avenida Paulista and walked to MASP, Sao Paulo's Art Museum.  For dinner, we ordered three pizzas delivered from Margherita Pizzeria in Jardins.

On Friday, December 29, my family visited the Mercado Municipal.  They lunched on cold cut sandwiches at the restaurant there.  We all went to Borgers Burgers for dinner.

On Saturday, December 30, my family walked to Jacare Restaurant in Vila Madelena.  To get there, they passed through Cemiterio Sao Paulo which is full of beautiful sculptures.  They then visited the Beco de Batman (grafite).  After lunch, the adults then walked all the way to Rua Oscar Freire in Jardins.  At night, after dinner at AJ, Rachel, Mike, Bret and Pam went to the Skye Bar in Parque Ibirapuera for drinks and to meet a colleague of my daughter's.

On Sunday, December 31, my family lunched at Sushi Yassu in Liberdade.  Later, they Ubered to the airport for their trips home.  

I especially enjoyed hosting my grandchildren.  While at our building, the boys enjoyed playing basketball and swimming in the pool.  I will always remember preparing oatmeal every morning for Leo.  Nate skipped breakfast.     

 

   

Abraham's Son, Chapter 24

 EXT. PARK NEAR ABRAHAM'S HOUSE - DAY

ABRAHAM and MESSENGER talk while sitting on bench.

MESSENGER:  So, you enjoyed your time with HELEN?

ABRAHAM:  Yes.  Now I believe you are who you say you are.  What does God want of me?

MESSENGER:  Finally.  We should have done this two days ago...You read the newspapers.  The world is in a dangerous situation.  I'm talking especially about what is being referred to as climate change.  

ABRAHAM:  Yeah, I agree.  I think everyone, especially government, should do what they can to counteract what's been happening to the environment.

MESSENGER:   Well, the situation is far worse than what your scientists say.  If something drastic is not done soon, life on earth will end in about 100 years.

ABRAHAM:  Oh, my God.

MESSENGER:  Precisely.  However, God is very encouraged by this United Nations proposal on climate change.  Unfortunately, the U.S. president, a leader in the world, opposes it.  This has created a dangerous situation.  This is where you come in, sort of like Moses going to the Egyptian Pharaoh.  

ABRAHAM:  What can I do?

MESSENGER:  You are a friend of ROBERT SILVER.

ABRAHAM:  Yeah.  We met in high school.  Saw him again a few years ago.

MESSENGER:  He has become the president's special trusted adviser.  If he can become convinced the U.N. proposal is worthwhile, there's a good chance he can persuade the president.  You must go to him...as soon as possible...and persuade ROBERT SILVER.

ABRAHAM:  I can try.  I'll do my best.

MESSENGER:  That's not enough.  Yesterday, I mentioned consequences.  Well, here it is.  You must succeed.  If not, you will be punished...severely.  As punishment, you will have to sacrifice your son.  

ABRAHAM:  What?  I can't...I won't do that.  I can never harm my son.  You never mentioned this yesterday.

MESSENGER:  You received a very special opportunity almost nobody gets, to talk to the dearly departed.  This is the price you accepted.

ABRAHAM:  I didn't accept that.

MESSENGER:  I said consequences.  This is the consequence.  Look, if you succeed, you won't have to worry about any sacrifice.  So succeed.  

ABRAHAM has a very worried expression on his face.  Before he can say anything more, the MESSENGER is gone.

____________

Next blog post will be Sunday, January 7, 2024.

Ernst & Ernst

Early in 1968, I suffered one of my worst days.  I got fired.  What a humiliation!

It all started in July of 1967 when I moved to Michigan.  I had expected to be at Lackland Air Force Base outside of San Antonio, Texas, but my colitis diagnosis scuttled that plan and I had to devise a new one ASAP or I would spend another summer in Oswego living with my parents.  

I chose suburban Detroit because my late brother Ted lived there with his wife and infant son.  My first and only job interview was at the CPA firm Ernst & Ernst (E&E) on West Fort Street in downtown Detroit.  Why did I go there, I don't remember.  

The Personnel guy who interviewed me was impressed with my Penn-Wharton degree and offered me a job at $10,500 per year.  A lot of money in 1967.

My brother advised me not to accept any offer right away, not believing I would receive such a high offer.  I accepted the next day.

The job was as an accounting auditor, a position for which I had no academic training.  At Penn, I took only 6 accounting courses, none of which were about auditing.  My colleagues at E&E had three times the number of accounting courses, including auditing.

My experience at E&E consisted of being assigned to a different manager and client every couple of weeks or so.  My first assignment was at a bank where we opened a very rich family's safe deposit box and counted their stocks and bonds.

I was expected to be available for work 24/7.  An example was I had to leave Thanksgiving lunch early so I could go to the fur vault (to count furs) at a downtown Detroit department store.

About six months after I started, I arrived at the West Fort Street office early in the morning.  I was called to the Personnel office.

The manager there read me an appraisal from a job I had worked from about two months before.  I considered that the audit manager who wrote it had been friendly towards me.  However, what he wrote was highly critical.  I hadn't shown the proper amount of enthusiasm for my work.  I just did what I was told...nothing more.

Therefore, I was to be terminated.  I tried to justify myself to the Personnel manager, but it was hopeless.  The decision was made.  Case closed.

At first, I was depressed.  But, then I remembered how much I hated my job.  Then, I was relieved...but, still humiliated.

But, the Personnel manager gave me one good piece of advice.  He said in the future I should stay clear of CPA firms and try for a position in private accounting.  When I moved to New York City, I did just that.  I got a job with Joseph E. Seagram's & Sons, Inc. and stayed for 31 years...and three months.  

Body and Soul

Body and Soul is a 1947 film noir boxing drama which stars John Garfield, Lilli Palmer and Lloyd Gough.  Garfield was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Lead role (but lost to Ronald Colman in A Double Life).  Francis Lyon and Robert Parrish won the Academy Award for Best Film Editing for Body and Soul. 

In the movie, Charley Davis (Garfield) grows up poor in New York City.  His parents operate a candy store.  As a result, Charley yearns to become rich, obsessed with having a lot of money.

As a young man, Charley discovers he has a talent for boxing.  After a while, he attracts the attention of a manager and turns professional.

Charley also meets and falls in love with Peg (Palmer), a woman from a different world, who studies art and wants to be a painter.  She provides Charley with a moral compass other than money.

As the public starts to think of Charley as a championship contender, he draws the attention of Roberts (Gough), a corrupt boxing promotor.  For a chance at the championship, Charley must give 50% of all future winnings to Roberts, who also advances money to Charley, putting him in debt.

Charley wins the boxing championship and starts living a lavish life style as a symbol of his new found wealth, but falls more and more in debt to Roberts.  In order to make a killing on Charley's next fight, Roberts demands Charley agree to lose.  They will all bet against Charley, the favorite.  Reluctantly, Charley agrees.

Peg argues against this unethical decision, but Charley feels boxed in by his debt to Roberts.  Originally, Charley is told he would lose by a decision, but is double crossed when his opponent goes for a knockout in the 13th round.

On the verge of losing the fight, Charley rallies and wins by a knockout in the 15th and final round.  Thus, they all lose their bets.  After the fight, Charley bonds with Peg and tells Roberts he is retiring from boxing.  Love has finally conquered money.

Having lost a lot of money on the fight, Roberts threatens Charley.  Charley responds, "What are you going to do?  Kill me.  Everybody dies."  Those last two words are a repetition of a line Roberts often used.

Then, when Peg asks Charley, "Are you all right?", he responds, looking directly at Roberts, "I never felt better in my life."