Mr. Monday and other tales of Jewish Amsterdam

WAGE EARNERS 41

The tout's task officially ends at the doorstep of the shop. The assistants inside have to take care of the rest of the deal. Except when the customers are indeed acquaintances of the tout and want to be helped especially by him. Someone who wants to buy a piece of textile, for instance, prefers to be helped by a "meiwe", an expert, a connoisseur. So with a deadpan face the tour tells the shop assistant "These are special friends of mine. Do you mind if I stay with them?"

His request is never refused. The shop assistant starts to show various costumes. Each time, father and mother steal a glance at their friend the tout, but each time he shakes his head imperceptibly as if to say "No..."

Of course he doesn't say anything. That's something father and mother understand very well. After all, he is employed by the shop so he may not say openly that all those fine-looking costumes are merely rubbish. When he finally opens his mouth he says hesitatingly to the assistant, "Don't you have hanging upstairs that Bar Mitzvah suit the boss had made for his nephew? You know, he had it made specially using the finest silks. Pity that when the boy tried it on it didn't fit him."

The assistant appears to hesitate. "Yes... But I don't know whether I'm allowed to sell it."

"I will take the responsibility."

The suit is brought down. Father fingers the fabric. Suddenly he himself has the air of a meiwe. "That's good material. Even a blind man can see that."

"No wonder, first quality worsted, indestructible."

Then the haggling starts. That's part of the game. The seller asks and the buyer offers half. The assistant says that