Herbie,continued

Some time back, I wrote an article in which I told of my menswear associations with a number of Jews who became my very good friends. Was it because I was a buyer and in a position to give them some business? Yes, initially. But as time passed by they became more than those seeking to exploit me, they became friends and the chief among them was Herbie. I gave an example of when my store announced it was closing, I received a call from Herbie and he stated I should not worry. I had a job at my current salary and I would become a neckwear salesman and he meant it. I knew I could get another job but it was these words that allowed me to have a semblance of comfort--just in case.

And so I would like to speak more on the personality of my friend. I can't describe him in this one page. Oh no, he was much more than that. Over the years he has continued to call periodically and would always announce his name by saying "Hi, Its Hoybie" That's New Yorkese for Herbie and I have always welcomed these calls because the conversations would always be dynamic with much laughter and points of interest. He could be a philosopher, a merchant, a family man or have several other identities that made him very charismatic.

I went to work for him after being terminated from Munsingwear even though I had many times previously denied any interest in joining him in business. I always said "If I go to work for you, I won't be able to continue to be your friend" But to shorten this tale, I did because he pleaded with me on the basis that his CEO had walked away and he was in need. I went to N.Y. and actually lived in his home for several months during which time I learned that I had a BIG job on my hands. My predecessor had left with a two year supply of inventory and the loans at the bank were huge. Herbie was in the depths of a serious depression and every morning I would become a cheerleader telling him "Don't show that depression to your co-workers in the mill or office--Smile!" He had invested about $250,000 of his own money and continually would tell me we were going under. He was an intense worrier and I had to continually try to pull him out of it. One example was his obsession with me learning how to make a tie. I tried to explain I had much more to do in trying to keep his company afloat than worrying about the mechanics of tie making. He wasn't happy until I walked in and told him I had learned how to make a tie. Another time involved 2400 dozen ties in our warehouse that had been ordered by Sears the previous season. The question was what to do with them. Do we insist they take them? They owned them but we did not want to damage our relationship with a huge customer like Sears. With a meeting to go over the purchases for the upcoming season I prepared a inventory of them and. against Herbie's wishes, waited for the correct time to express the problem to the buyer. He was immediately rceptive to taking them in to his warehouse except he didn't want the green colors. When Herbie and I left the office following that interchange, he said "What are we going to do with the green ties?" I exploded quietly and said "I just got rid of 2200 dozen and your only thought is what are we going to do with green! Why do you only think in negative terms?

Those are only two of several minor arguements we shared. In the 6 months I was with his company, I can't even describe the number of challenges we faced or the way we overcame them. I say "we" because in truth Herbie was such a soft hearted guy, he could never involve himself in things that might offend others. I had to terminate 46 employees that had been years with him in his factory because we had agreed to move the factory to North Cariolina. Dismissing them was something he could not handle and it fell to me to be the bad guy.

I would like to have more time to further illustrate the width and depth of Herbie's character but space prohibits this. I had 6 of the most demanding months I had ever spent being the cheerleader to lift my friend and trying to bring his business into the black. It took 7 months to bring it to a point where it was reasonably on its feet and I was gone by that time. He and I parted on very good terms but things had reached a point where my job was accomplished. We had a new sales manager. I had fired two of his main salesmen because they did nothing but sit around his N. Y. office waiting for business to walk in and in general, things were pretty healthy again. Herbie brought his son, a very bright young man, into the business and I explained, "Herbie I can work for one of you but not two of you". So, I was gone on to different things He is an atheist and a liberal Democrat while I am neither but our conversations always are lively and interesting. He came to Louise' funeral and he will most likely come to mine but isn't it nice to know that even though there are so many differences in our respective values and philosophies the point to be made clear is that through all this evolution of time, friendship is all that is important. He was practically a kid when he sold me ties those eons ago and in some ways he is still that enthusiastic kid trying to sell ties. He heads up a very successful neckwear business now and today, my life is more complete when the phone rings and I say "Hello" and a voice replies "Hi, it's Herbie!