Hester Street Page #4

To have a wife,

that's a good thing, huh, Jake?

What you talking, Joe?

A single man is a bum, a gornisht!

One thing, a man gives up something

when he gets married, by the way.

What? Give up what?

Dancing school?

A big mitzeah.

Joe, what is?

When I finish work, and I come home,

all I wanna do is eat my dinner,

enjoy my little wife

and play with my boychick.

Of course, Mamie and me,

we gonna run the academy together.

Be good for business, huh?

Mamie?

Which Mamie?

Mamie Fein.

You asked Mamie Fein, huh?

What she say?

"Maybe."

Maybe, huh? And already

you standing under the canopy.

Upon my word.

It's a good thing she didn't say

more than maybe. You can get away yet.

Get away? I don't wanna get away.

Jake, why should I wanna get away?

Never mind.

American ladies,

for a good time, yes.

For a wife, no.

Get yourself a girl

from the old country.

She don't ask all the time

for a new dress, a new hat.

She don't run around

with other mens.

She keeps the place like a fiddle,

and she knows how to save from a nickel.

Mamie saved more than $300

from out her wages.

Furthermore, I don't want

no greenhorn wife.

Then you go to hell!

You and Mamie ain't worth

my wife's little finger!

So.

If your wife is such a wonder,

how is it you're sittin' here?

Never mind you business!

You say one more word about my wife

and I'll give you this!

You ain't got a cigar?

Sure I got. Help yourself.

Take a couple.

Thanks.

Eat. Make your teeth strong.

Look what a place is America,

nu, Bernstein?

At home we had forests.

Right outside the door,

remember, Yankel?

Here one must take a train for an hour

just to be near a tree.

So go back to Russia.

Here a Jew is a mensch.

In Russia we was afraid to walk

within ten feet of a Gentile.

Yankel, where in America

is the Gentiles, huh?

I go with Mrs. Kavarsky,

Rivington Street, Delancey Street,

everywhere Jews.

The Gentiles keep

in another place, huh?

Yossele, don't get dirty the knee pants

Ta'teh make for you.

Let him enjoy!

What a boy, with regular knee pants.

You know what the trouble is

with you, Gitl?

Look on me.

Give a look on me!

Am I a Jew or a Gentile?

Forget that you know me.

Just by what you see, what do you say?

A Jew is a Jew.

What do you know!

Mr. Bernstein knows many things.

He going give lessons

in how to talk English.

I looking for students all the time.

Twenty-five cents an hour.

I'll be goddamn!

Who'd wanna take lessons

from such a greeny? Look at him!

Bernstein,

you want my advice?

Go to the shadchen,

say, Ill take what you got:

deaf, hunchback,

long as she got money."

Then you buy yourself a little store.

Let the hunchback run the place.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes