3.11.1987

THE GLORY DAYS ARE GONE ON LILIENBLUM

"It's you again.

"First it was Wall Street and now you believe the papers when they say there's going to be a devaluation.

First of all, you should be smart enough not to believe the newspapers. Especially about money. If the newspapermen are so smart, how come they're not rich? Don't ask me how I know you're not rich. Take a look at you. Is that the way a rich man dresses?

"Anyway, there's nothing happening. I saw the papers I know what they said. They said people think there's a devaluation coming and there's action down here. You want action? Go to Las Vegas. People here are just trying to make an honest living.

"And let me tell you, it's not so easy. A shekel here, a shekel there. You think that because of the two agorot difference between selling and buying, I'm gonna get rich?

"Forget it. The only ones who get rich are the ones who are already rich. That's why I say what I say. Living and loving. That's all that matters.

"Okay, we'll get down to business.

"First of all, you got to remember, the glory days are gone. There were good times down here. Real action. Five, 10 years ago, even only a couple of years ago. Real action. Crowds. Not only altekakers like me.

"So, it's like this. I give you 1.73 for your dollar, you buy them at 1.75. Marks are even now with the shekel. Yen? You got yen, I'll find out what they are. Nobody's got yen.

"But you people make such a big deal about it. There's no big deal to it any more. You know, once the tourists would come down here and clean up. I remember the times when there was a fellow with an attache case and he'd come down sometimes and sell a lot of dollars or buy a lot of dollars, and he was from, well, let's just say that if he were to be arrested for black market activities, he had a card in his pocket that made it all okay. That's right. From The Bank. No, not Recanati's bank, not Japhet's bank, The Bank. Of Israel. And sometimes from the Treasury itself.

"But it's all over. Those days are all over. For now, at least. You know how it is with markets. One day good, one day bad. Apples and onions.

"You've been down to the post office, where the Georgians hang out? Let me guess. A bunch of gold-toothed crooks hanging around on the corner whispering as if nobody knows what they're doing there. No class. No class at all. Am I right? See, I told you I know what's going on down there. And they take you inside, into the post office. I'll tell you, the Communications Minister ought to see what's become of that post office.

"Seven, eight clerks standing behind the counters selling stamps, and 50 crooks selling dollars in the corner. What do they think, that they look like stamp collectors?

"I'm telling you, it's all illusion and vanity. Just like Solomon said. All that matters is a living and a little loving and of course to do that it doesn't hurt to have some cash where it counts. In your pocket. Not on the bourse, shmourse. I know. You win some you lose some, but who controls the market? I'll tell you who decides the prices down here. You know who?

"The Arabs. That's right, the Arabs in East Jerusalem. They're taking over, I tell you. Of course, I don't blame them. They don't have to sit on a chair on the sidewalk like me in the sun and in the cold and even sometimes in the rain. They can open offices and have counting machines and everything. But they decide the prices. If the dollar goes down in East Jerusalem it goes down here, and if it goes up there, it goes up here.

"And they get the tourist trade, too. You know how many tourists come to Tel Aviv? In and out. That's what. They go to Jerusalem, Masada. That's what I ought to do, move my chair to Masada. But there's nothing in it anymore. You can't make a killing down here any more, unless your connected to a bank. Yea, I know a bank or two. But forget it, I'm not taking no reporter to a bank. Are you crazy? That's how I make my living. That and the bourse.

"They're all parasites. Every-body's a parasite nowadays. that's why I say the only thing to do is live and love and make sure you have some cash in your pocket.

"One last thing. Remember, don't always believe the papers, especially about money. Because, I'll tell you something, maybe you don't know. Once there was an old man down here, the only one of us with a telephone. You reporters would call him up and he'd say what the price of the dollar was. He always would say it was high, and then when people came down to do some business and were disappointed by the price he'd say "The newspaper said more? Okay, go buy from the newspaper'.

"So you remember that. You remember that and remember this. The glory days are over. Even if there is a devaluation, and people came down here buying, it won't be the same, it won't be the same as it used to be. What do they need us for? All they have to do is go into the bank and open a dollar-linked account. And it will give them interest, too. What do you think I do with my money?"

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