Saturday the Rabbi Went Hungry by Harry Kemelman Read Free Book Online

Schwarz kept repeating the name. I suppose because Marvin is a special friend of his and he didn’t want him to miss his honor, even though it was just to open the Ark. Finally, after he called Mr. Brown, Mr. Marvin Brown, two or three times, the vice-president came over and opened the Ark himself. Our president was a little annoyed with him for it.”
    “It seems a small thing to make a fuss about.”
    “Mr. Schwarz evidently didn’t consider it so. As a matter of fact, he kept grousing a good part of the evening about the acoustics. At first I thought it was professional jealousy, but then I got the feeling he had something else in mind. Especially when he said something about expecting us at his house tomorrow after we broke our fast. Did Mrs. Schwarz call you?”
    “This morning. Ethel invited us for dessert and coffee. Isn’t it the usual custom? Don’t we always go to the president’s house for coffee after Yom Kippur?”
    “I guess we do at that. But somehow, when Mr. Wasserman and even Mr. Becker were president, I didn’t think of it as a custom. I felt they asked us over, as they did on other occasions, because they wanted to see us. But I don’t feel it’s quite the same with Mortimer Schwarz. You know, in your present condition, we could easily duck it.”
    “There’ll be a lot of other people there, David; we won’t have to stay long. Ethel seemed particularly anxious for us to come. Maybe they’re just trying to be nice and show they want to let bygones be bygones.”
    The rabbi looked doubtful.
    “You both seemed quite friendly up there on the platform.”
    “Naturally, we’re not going to sit there and glare at each other. On the surface everything is fine. We even joke with each other, although it’s apt to be rather patronizing on his part – the way I would imagine he jokes with his junior draftsman. When I answer in kind, I get the feeling he regards it as an impertinence, although of course he wouldn’t say so.”
    She was troubled. “Aren’t you perhaps imagining a lot of this because he opposed renewing your contract when it came up before the Board?”
    “I don’t think so. There were others who opposed me, and when I was voted my five-year contract they came up to congratulate me. When my five years are up they may oppose me again, but in the meantime, they will remain neutral and work with me. With Schwarz, on the other hand, I have the feeling that if he could get me out tomorrow, he would.”
    “But that’s just the point, David, he can’t. You have a five-year contract that has four more years to go. And his term of office is only one year. You’ll outlast him.”
    “It really isn’t much of a contract, you know,” he said.
    “I don’t understand.”
    “It’s a service contract, which means they can’t drop me as long as I behave myself. What constitutes proper behavior is up to them to decide, while nothing is said about their behavior. They can do all kinds of things against which I have no recourse. Suppose they decide to make some change in the ritual that I couldn’t possibly live with. What happens then? The only thing I could do would be to resign.”
    “And you think Schwarz might do something like that?”
    “Just to get me out? No. But we could disagree about something, and he might use that as an excuse. And to give him his due, he’d probably feel it was for the good of the congregation.”

Chapter Seven
    Just before midnight the call came in. “Barnard’s Crossing Police Department,” the man at the desk said. “Sergeant Jeffers. Yes, I see… Do you want to give me the name again?… H-I-R-S-H, no C… Mrs. Isaac Hirsh.” He repeated as he wrote, “Bradford Lane… that’s in Colonial Village, isn’t it?… Now what time did he leave?… Well then, what time did you call the lab?… I see… Can you give me a description of the car and the license number?… Any marks on the car?… All right, ma’am, I’ll notify State Police and