Alright Bunny!! Get that style. And so good to hear that she was able to be someone you could admire even after the devastations of grief and brain disease. Just home from seeing my mom, shellshocked and glad to know my experience may not be universal (and seeking good therapist recs). (Ps you really are a brilliant writer)
Thank you so much Josh for yet another great tale from your life. Took me on a trip down memory lane of being dragged around S. Kleins at Union Square while my mom and older sister shopped and I’d sit on the floor with my back against a mirror, reading. They used to steal fancy labels out of dresses and sew them into their own clothes. I guess it made my immigrant mom who aspired to wealth feel good at night when she would take off her clothes and see a Lord & Taylor label inside or ???Unfortunately, I never asked her what that was about. Azoi!
Oh my goodness, dear Josh! What a revelation! You must’ve been gobsmacked! Thank you for sharing this fantastic story and congratulations on the weight loss. How are you actually feeling?
Nov 1, 2023·edited Nov 1, 2023Liked by Josh Kornbluth
Ahhh Joshy, The secrets Moms keep...A beautifuly shared remembrance. Macy's is still there, Gimbels closed in 1987. B. Altmans in 1989, Lord & Taylors 2020, New York CIty is not the city of our youth. Shoplifting is more rampant than ever. In Macy.s peole bring rolling suitcases and load them up. taking off the protection bars with special tools. The Clerks and guards seem to be instructed not to bother them for fear of a violent showdown. I'm glad your magic tricks acted as a distraction back in the day, when I remember seing well groomed ladies being led out in handcuffs, their photos later appearing on the wall in the ladies room and sometimes the afternoon papers. I wonder why she felt the need to finally tell you her secret? And wonder if there were others? Big Congratulations on your epic weight loss!
Thank you, Suzanne! I wonder why she told me, too. At the time, it felt like it had been weighing on her -- as if she was ashamed about it and had been worried that I'd think poorly of her. I remember feeling stunned: I'd never suspected her of shoplifting! Truth be told, I was also kinda proud of her for never getting caught!
I agree, i share your pride in her ability to foil the store clerks and dectivies. it would have been mighy humiliating back then to get caught. For the record when i was younger. i shoplifted clothes too at B. Altmans as did some of my friends, and we didn't get caught either. I remember clearly the last time I did it, I was wearing the lifted outfit under my own clothes, as I watched two detectives usher an older woman( of color) in handcuffs to the elevator. 'Twas Divine intervention in my case, and perhaps for the woman who got caught as well. In your Mom's case, yes, shame can be a huge catalyst. Perhaps she wanted you to know all there was to know about her. Did she tell your Dad, or anyone else that you know of? Before I married my current (and last husband) coming up on 44 years, I made a point of telling him every BIG secret ( to me) I had, like the shoplifting, and others. His reaction was to shrug and say "OK Do you feel better for telling me all this?" "I don't know.... Do you feel less of me?" "No, I just wish I had some secrets to share in return so we'd be even-up, but I can't think of any off the top of my head, but if and when I do, you'll be the first to know." Interesting to be talking aboout the pain of shame in what has become a shameless society...
Remembering a similar experience for me and my brother as little kids. Our mom would take us to big Kohl's type stores in the midwest for hours, one of them was called "Copps," if I'm remembering right. Her "trick" would be to buy huge piles of clothes after endless trying on, wear some of it once and then return it all! We would rotate stores, pretty embarrassing.. Ai,yi,yi. We were free to zoom around the store and play with the toys - no one concerned about kidnapping in those days.
A great story! Reminds me of the time I spent with my Grandmother, while my parents were at work. Although I never heard a confession like you Mom's. Wow! I'm amazed and a bit concerned about your radical diet. I lost a co-worker years ago to a heart attack, because he was on a liquid diet, but wasn't getting enough electrolytes. However, now that you're getting into better condition, might you be thinking of getting on the bike again?
Alright Bunny!! Get that style. And so good to hear that she was able to be someone you could admire even after the devastations of grief and brain disease. Just home from seeing my mom, shellshocked and glad to know my experience may not be universal (and seeking good therapist recs). (Ps you really are a brilliant writer)
Thank you so much Josh for yet another great tale from your life. Took me on a trip down memory lane of being dragged around S. Kleins at Union Square while my mom and older sister shopped and I’d sit on the floor with my back against a mirror, reading. They used to steal fancy labels out of dresses and sew them into their own clothes. I guess it made my immigrant mom who aspired to wealth feel good at night when she would take off her clothes and see a Lord & Taylor label inside or ???Unfortunately, I never asked her what that was about. Azoi!
_That's_ a great story, Karen!! And I have fond memories of going to S. Klein's with my dad.
Pulling a bunny out of a hat--great pun!
You really do need to write all these in a book❣️
Oh my goodness, dear Josh! What a revelation! You must’ve been gobsmacked! Thank you for sharing this fantastic story and congratulations on the weight loss. How are you actually feeling?
Pretty great, actually! Thanks, Becky!!
Beautiful story!
Ahhh Joshy, The secrets Moms keep...A beautifuly shared remembrance. Macy's is still there, Gimbels closed in 1987. B. Altmans in 1989, Lord & Taylors 2020, New York CIty is not the city of our youth. Shoplifting is more rampant than ever. In Macy.s peole bring rolling suitcases and load them up. taking off the protection bars with special tools. The Clerks and guards seem to be instructed not to bother them for fear of a violent showdown. I'm glad your magic tricks acted as a distraction back in the day, when I remember seing well groomed ladies being led out in handcuffs, their photos later appearing on the wall in the ladies room and sometimes the afternoon papers. I wonder why she felt the need to finally tell you her secret? And wonder if there were others? Big Congratulations on your epic weight loss!
Thank you, Suzanne! I wonder why she told me, too. At the time, it felt like it had been weighing on her -- as if she was ashamed about it and had been worried that I'd think poorly of her. I remember feeling stunned: I'd never suspected her of shoplifting! Truth be told, I was also kinda proud of her for never getting caught!
I agree, i share your pride in her ability to foil the store clerks and dectivies. it would have been mighy humiliating back then to get caught. For the record when i was younger. i shoplifted clothes too at B. Altmans as did some of my friends, and we didn't get caught either. I remember clearly the last time I did it, I was wearing the lifted outfit under my own clothes, as I watched two detectives usher an older woman( of color) in handcuffs to the elevator. 'Twas Divine intervention in my case, and perhaps for the woman who got caught as well. In your Mom's case, yes, shame can be a huge catalyst. Perhaps she wanted you to know all there was to know about her. Did she tell your Dad, or anyone else that you know of? Before I married my current (and last husband) coming up on 44 years, I made a point of telling him every BIG secret ( to me) I had, like the shoplifting, and others. His reaction was to shrug and say "OK Do you feel better for telling me all this?" "I don't know.... Do you feel less of me?" "No, I just wish I had some secrets to share in return so we'd be even-up, but I can't think of any off the top of my head, but if and when I do, you'll be the first to know." Interesting to be talking aboout the pain of shame in what has become a shameless society...
Remembering a similar experience for me and my brother as little kids. Our mom would take us to big Kohl's type stores in the midwest for hours, one of them was called "Copps," if I'm remembering right. Her "trick" would be to buy huge piles of clothes after endless trying on, wear some of it once and then return it all! We would rotate stores, pretty embarrassing.. Ai,yi,yi. We were free to zoom around the store and play with the toys - no one concerned about kidnapping in those days.
MagicShowDriveAcrossAmerica.com - seems we always have something to talk about.
A great story! Reminds me of the time I spent with my Grandmother, while my parents were at work. Although I never heard a confession like you Mom's. Wow! I'm amazed and a bit concerned about your radical diet. I lost a co-worker years ago to a heart attack, because he was on a liquid diet, but wasn't getting enough electrolytes. However, now that you're getting into better condition, might you be thinking of getting on the bike again?