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Margaret Helen Laing's avatar

Vividly told, Bonnie. Thank you for giving us a window into the building, past and present.

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Bonnie McGrath's avatar

thank you so much my dedicated reader, commenter and friend!!!

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Janice Goldstein's avatar

Beautifully written family story!!👍🙋🏻‍♀️📝

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Bonnie McGrath's avatar

Thanks, Jan, so glad you read it!! So sweet!!!

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Carol Felsenthal's avatar

Bonnie—this is such a lovely piece. Steve became a member, I guess sometime in the ‘80s. We went a few times to the adult holiday party. the food—lobster, crab claws—and the desserts were over the top. It reminded me a bit of my childhood times at hotels in the Catskills Mountains, although the food was kosher at those and the Standard Club was studiously NOT kosher, to the extent of having a Christmas tree in the lobby for many years, despite being a Jewish club. We went a few times to the kids’ holiday parties. My three didn’t particularly enjoy the event and i found it entitled and snotty. I did a reading once for one of my just-published books and sold quite a few copies. I once gave a ladies lunchtime talk about politics to a full table and a free meal. It was a success, but when i asked to present on a regular schedule and to be paid for my time, the person who invited me said “the club” would love to have me back but wouldn’t pay me. I think that might have been my last time there.

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Bonnie McGrath's avatar

I LOVE all this!! so glad you posted this. note i mentioned santa claus--not that he was gentile necessarily but.... it was quite a secular place, as you summarize!!!! i love that you talked politics there..... wouldn't it be great if we could do that together! maybe we can.... the immigrants have to learn the jargon

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Bonnie McGrath's avatar

I LOVE all this!! so glad you posted this. note i mentioned santa claus--not that he was gentile necessarily but.... it was quite a secular place, as you summarize!!!! i love that you talked politics there..... wouldn't it be great if we could do that together! maybe we can.... the immigrants have to learn the jargon

somewhere and who better than us?????

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