“So what is a shpahtsir?” you may ask. Perhaps you remember the song, “Let’s Take an Old-Fashioned Walk.” In Yiddish it would read, “Let’s Take an Old-Fashioned Shpahtsir.” Nu, maybe it sounds better in English.…
So who wrote such a song? you may again
ask. Iz der enfer (the answer is), Irving
Berlin, a Yiddel, of course. He composed many other American melodies,
including “G-d Bless
* * *
Let’s take an old-fashioned walk
What a tale could be told
If we went on an old-fashioned walk…
These lyrics from the song expressed a lifestyle. There was
a time that taking a shpahtsir was an
enjoyable activity. People walked to shopping and to school. They even walked
to the mailbox. Often, they walked with another person and conversed about everything
from family issues to national ones.
During the shpahtsir, people often met others. If the others were recognized
as Yidden. the greeting was “sholom aleichem”
or “voss macht ah Yid?” If they were nochrim, the greeting was “Hi, how goes
it?” Walking was an enjoyable activity.
Oy, have times changed! Currently
if you utter “How are you” to a passer by, you might get the same result as
greeting a tree, because the other person is immersed in talking into a
“smartphone”! Of course there is another problem – and that is the possibility of
getting mugged, robbed, or shot.
The good mayor of
* * *
“So let’s return to our topic: the past,” you may say, and
you are one hundred percent correct.
Once upon a time, if you were tired of walking
you could board a vehicle known as a streetcar. Streetcars were powered by electricity.
There was a long pole on the roof which was connected to overhead wires that
extended throughout the area. Years later, the poles were connected to underground
wiring, which made it easier on the conductor because he no longer needed to
readjust the pole if it moved off of the wire.
To board the streetcar, you
climbed up a large step, and after boarding, you dropped a coin into a fare box
located next to the conductor. If you needed to ride another vehicle to reach
your destination, you were given a transfer ticket. (Anyone remember?)
As more and more people entered the
vehicle, there soon was standing room only, so he repeatedly shouted, “Move to
the rear of the car, please,” whereupon there was a slight shuffle towards the
rear of the streetcar.
Eventually buses replaced the streetcars, and
although much faster than the streetcars, the air became polluted from the exhaust
fumes, causing distress to people taking a shpahtsir.
* * *
During those years, I attended
One day, as I headed home, two juvenile
delinquents suddenly jumped out of a doorway and threw me to the ground. One
held a knife against my chest while the other went through my pockets
repeatedly asking, “You got any money boy?” Nu,
I didn’t even have a nickel, which disappointed them, so in anger they gave me
a zets (hit) and darted away. I got
up and began running home. The shreck
(scare) of this incident remained on my mind for many weeks, and from that day
I took a different route to get home.
Believing that boxing was necessary for self-defense,
I joined a group in school that held brief boxing matches during a free period.
The boxing duels took place in a dormitory room. Nu, what can I tell you? I put on boxing gloves and faced an older opponent,
and before you could utter “sholom aleichem,”
I was staring at the ceiling flat on my back caused by a punch to my chin delivered
by my opponent. Nu, that ended my
interest in boxing!
* * *
Shabbos was our favorite day of the week. In the afternoon,
families visited one another. At times, my sister Hilda Ayala took me for a
walk to the Enoch Pratt Library, which had interesting window displays.
As a youngster I always admired the large
horse statues in front of the
Our family often took a shpahtsir to nearby
Nearby
there was an Oriental-style building called the Pagoda whose doors were usually
locked. At times, however, it was left unlocked, and we climbed the winding
steps. When we reached the top, we enjoyed a spectacular view of the entire
area.
Nearby, there was a small circular fountain
and pond that was stocked with large goldfish. Eventually, the pond was closed
because of people who went fishing! Warning signs said not to disturb the fish
but they were unheeded.
I began bobbing up and down but could not move
out of the pit. Drowning was in the making as I raised my hands towards the sky. Fortunately, two teenagers noticed what
was happening. They grasped each hand pulled me up and guided me to a safe
area. The swallowed water flowed out of my mouth for a few minutes as I slowly
revived. I never learned who my rescuers were but remain eternally grateful to
them and, of course, to the Ribono Shel Olam (G-d). Nu, that was my last visit to the
* * *
People often ask about attending the
Instead of attending school, we went
to the
Next we took a shpahtsir around the pier on
Time appeared to move quickly and
it was time to return home. We boarded a street car and finally got home. First,
we went to the home of my TA colleague, which was a big mistake. Nu, you may ask, why? Hair zich tsue (listen): It was a
mistake because his father, a quick tempered-person, met us at the door and when
told about our adventure, he locked me in a room and threatened to call the
police. Now that was a shreck! I
figured that he would also have to report his son, which he would not do.
Instead, he phoned my home. Bemazal
(luckily), the phone was answered by my brother David.
After hearing the whole miseh David headed for their house. He began
chatting with my abductor and, using sign language, indicated that I should
dash out of the house. I followed his instructions and darted out of the room
faster than a rabbit!
My good brother kept the secret,
and it was the first and I believe the last time I played hookey from school.
* * *
Ah klal, times
have changed dramatically. What still remains is the possibility of taking a shpahtsir in safe and beautiful
locations. In addition to great exercise, there is an opportunity to observe
and to appreciate Hashem’s beautiful world…so, “Let’s take an old-fashioned walk…”
