Part 53 (1/2)
Abe grunted and took the contract that Morris handed to him. ”This agreement,” it ran, ”made and entered into between Abraham Potash and Morris Perlmutter, composing the firm of Potash & Perlmutter, of the Borough of Manhattan, City of New York, parties of the first part, and Enrico Simonetti, of the same place, party of the second part, witnesseth----”
At this point Abe dropped the contract.
”Mawruss,” he said slowly, ”do you mean to told me you are hiring for a designer an Italiener?”
”Sure,” Morris replied; ”why not?”
”Why not!” Abe bellowed. ”Why not! Ain't you and me married men? Ain't we got wives? Ain't you got a child to support as well?”
”What's that got to do with it?” Morris asked.
”What's that got to do with it?” Abe repeated. ”I'm surprised to hear you you should talk that way, Mawruss. Supposing it is necessary we should tell such a feller he is coming down late _oder_ he is doing something which he shouldn't do, y'understand, then the very first thing you know he sticks into us a knife _und fertig_. I suppose, Mawruss, you are figuring that even if you don't carry such good insurance, Mawruss, your wife is young and could easy get married again. But with me is differencely. My wife ain't so young no longer and----”
”Say, lookyhere, Abe,” Morris interrupted, ”don't talk no more such nonsense to me, because I seen the feller and I am sitting with him last night over three hours. That feller would no more stick into you a knife as I would.”
”No?” Abe commented.
”And furthermore, Abe, when you are saying that Italieners stick knives, understand me, you are talking like a greenhorn. Italieners is decent, respectable people like anybody else, Abe, and just because when you are going on the opera a couple Italieners stabs themselves, like I am seeing it last week a show by the name Paliatzki, y'understand, that ain't no sign every Italiener is a stabber, understand me. For that matter, Abe, after this here show Paliatzki comes a whole lot of fellers from Russland on to the stage, which they are dancing so quick I never seen the like, understand me, and you know as well as I do, Abe, we got plenty fellers from Russland working by us here which they could no more dance as they could fly.”
Abe shrugged again.
”Never mind, supposing they wouldn't be stabbers even, Mawruss,” he continued, ”if you got working for you an Italiener which you just broke in good, y'understand, so soon as he saves a couple hundred dollars he right away quits you and goes back to the old country. All them fellers is eating is garlic and _Lockshen mit_ holes into it, and you know as well as I do, Mawruss, for two hundred dollars a feller could buy enough _Lockshen und k.n.o.blauch_ to last him for the rest of his natural life.
Whereas Mawruss, you take a feller which he is coming over here from Russland, y'understand, and he wouldn't go back to the old country not if you was to make him a present of it free for nothing.”
”Is it anything against them Italieners if they save their money, Abe?”
Morris asked.
”All right, Mawruss,” Abe said, ”supposing Italieners is such big savers, understand me, one thing you must anyhow got to admit, Mawruss.
You get a couple Italieners working for you, understand me, and from morning till night they never give you a minute's peace. Seemingly they must got to sing. They couldn't help themselves, Mawruss.”
”What do we care if he hollers a little something oncet in a while, Abe?” Morris protested. ”We could stand it if he turns out some good styles.”
”_If_ he turns out good styles is all right, Mawruss,” Abe said as he turned away. ”Lots of accidents could happen to a feller in the garment business, Mawruss. Burglars could bust into his loft and steal his silk piece goods on him; he could have maybe a fire; he could fall down the elevator shaft and break, _Gott soll huten_, his neck. All these things could come to a garment manufacturer, Mawruss; but that his designer should turn out some good styles is an accident which don't happen to one garment manufacturer out of a hundred, Mawruss.”
Nevertheless, long before Enrico Simonetti's term of employment had expired Abe was obliged to acknowledge his mistake.
Not only had Enrico proved his efficiency and originality as a designer but he had exercised the utmost discretion in the management of the cutting room. Moreover, he had little taste for music and never so much as whistled a melody during working hours.
”I couldn't make him out at all, Mawruss,” Abe declared one morning.
”Actually the feller complains to me this morning he couldn't stand that little greenhorn we hired last week on account he smells so from garlic.”
”Sure, I know,” Morris replied, ”and he don't smoke and he don't _s.h.i.+kker_, and he tells me yesterday he boards with a family on Second Avenue which all it costs him is four dollars a week. And yet you, Abe, you are kicking because the feller is an Italiener.”
”When was I kicking to you the feller is an Italiener?” Abe demanded.
”Why, you yourself, Mawruss, always says to me Italieners is no good. If you are telling me oncet you are telling me a hundred times about an Italiener family which they are living on top of you, Mawruss, and, to hear you talk, such _Roshoyim_ you wouldn't believe existed at all.”
”Sure, I know,” Morris admitted, ”but there's Italieners and Italieners, Abe; and only last night them people sits up till two o'clock this morning _s.h.i.+kkering_ and hollering. Not alone the woman hollers, Abe, but a feller sings that big song from Paliatzki till I thought my head would bust. Some one should write to the Board of Health about it, Abe.”