After graduating from law school, it is necessary to take and pass Bar examinations that consist of two separate tests. I took the examinations and then awaited the results. I would be in touch with friends I made in law school and who also took the examinations. One friend was Everett Rosenblum with whom I used to study. There were rumors when the results would be made, mostly incorrect. Finally it became clear when the results would be made public, which happened to be on that year’s Yom Kippur. The results are printed in both the New York Times and at that time in the Herald Tribune. I was still living in Middle Village at the time and the local stores owned by Jews would be closed for Yom Kippur. That meant I would not be able the next day to procure one of the newspapers and read the Bar Exam results.
I thought if I called one of the newspapers and explained the situation, they would be able to tell me if my name was included in the list of those who passed the exams. I called the Herald Tribune, explained the situation and since the results would be listed in the next day’s issue, is it possible for me to be told the results? The answer was in the affirmative and I gave my name Benjamin M. Haber. I waited a few minutes for the person to speak to me, and after several minutes she said, “ I am sorry to tell you, there is no name on the list with an H. ‘’
Suffice it to say, I was very disappointed. It could mean I failed both exams and needed to take them again the following year, or the possibility I failed only one of the two exams and needed to retake just that one exam. Still it meant I was incapable of finishing some further required interviews to become licensed to practice law. Disappointed? Of course. About an hour later that evening, the telephone rang and when I pick it up, the voice says, “ This is Everett, congratulations, we both passed the exams.” I replied, “ You are wrong, according to the Herald Tribune, I failed.” Everett replied: “I do not know what you are talking about, I have the New York Times in front of me and your name is listed with those who passed.”
I was of course elated and could hardly wait until I was able to get a copy of the Herald Tribune and figure out if the Times was incorrect. When I got a copy of the Tribune, the mystery was solved. It appeared the H names were all listed after the Z names. The person I had spoken to on the telephone, simply stopped looking after she noticed no H after the G names.
Was in view of the foregoing, the end result a great surprise? It sure was.
Ben Haber
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