At the age of six years, I recall being brought to Mrs. Brown’s kindergarten class in P.S. 87 in Middle Village, Queens. I immediately became friends with a boy in the class named Sam Teicher. Sam and I remained friends for 80 years until he died at the age of 86. The friendship was such that we each knew if at any time either of us needed help of any sort, the other was immediately there to help. Even into our old age, we had lunch almost every month and when we each married, out wives got along with each other. I considered the friendship an early and long-lasting gift.
After buying my home, my finances were low, so I began building furniture for the house. It was at a time when I had very few tools. My friend Sam’s father was a carpenter who passed away in his fifties. Sam gave me his father’s miter box tool and a small hammer that I used when hitting a thin nail into place. I still have that hammer and use it often and consider it the most comfortable tool I have. I attach a photograph of it. That hammer given to me by Sam was by far a second-best gift.
Been Haber
December 27, 2021
