The Demand - Chapter 1 Business As Usual

The luxurious offices of Largeman Property Investments sat on the 10th floor of the One57 building in New York City.

The CEO and founder fifty five year old Marjorie Largeman sits behind her expensive walnut desk reading a draft Irish property fund prospectus. Her propensity to corpulence and name caused her much mockery throughout her life. She stood 170 centre metres tall. A working week of eighty hours plus contributed to her carrying 113 kilos in weight.

An expensive tailored black trouser business suit seals in her corpulent frame. Her desk phone rings. She moves her head upwards from the prospectus and smiles when she sees the name flashing up on her telephone.

Her 22 year old daughter Shoshana is her only child. Shoshana graduated in Law from Harvard with the highest honours. She now is a partner in her mother’s business. They are more than business partners as well as mother and daughter. They are in many ways best friends. Both live together in a Hamptons mansion.

Marjorie picks up the phone with her chubby right hand “Hello Darling are you back in New York?”
“Hello mother yes I am. Just coming up to the escalator and thought I would check you were in your office”

Marjorie laughs sarcastically “where else would I be at 6:30pm on a roasting hot Wednesday evening. I am so glad I have aircon. This really isn’t business suit weather. I hope your sinuses aren’t troubling you in this heat you sound blocked up”

“They are Mother . The pollen count is really high. I am in the elevator now so I will talk to you shortly”
A gentle knock taps the teak dark office door. Marjorie slowly stands up smiling “Come in and hug your mother”

Shoshana enters. Her chubby face expands with a wide smile and her brown eyes sparkle behind big black rimmed designer glasses which are wedged on her prominent nose. Her curly dark hair extends freely down to her shoulders. She too wore a black business suit. Like her mother works eighty hours plus and struggles with her weight. She is slightly smaller at 162cm weighing 77 kilos.

Marjorie slowly walks towards her stiff from an extensive period of sitting. She extends her hands to hug. Her eyes sparkling with delight and pride. In Shoshana she felt she was looking at herself as a young woman.

They both hug “Darling every day you walk in that door it makes me proud to be your mother and business partner”

“Oh mother you’re making me blush if I didn’t know you I would say you were coming on to me” They both laugh.

“Darling let’s sit on the sofa. Do you need any antihistamines for your sinuses you do sound blocked up?”

“That is why I am lucky to be your business partner. You can mother me every minute of the day. I am good thanks. I took some when I parked up”

They sit together on a chocolate brown Italian leather sofa. Shoshana places her suitcase on a glass coffee table and opens it up. She takes out some documents with her beaming broad smile lightening up her face one more time.



“I am delighted to say we are the proud owners of 6 luxury apartments in Newark” handing the contract documents to Marjorie.

Marjorie smiles back proudly taking the documents “That’s my girl” Marjorie quickly looks through the document “These two are right underneath the penthouse suites. I think we should invest a sizeable budget into these and we will be able to rent them at a price close to a par with the penthouse prices. The others look like some low cost refurbishment will be efficient to get a greater monthly rental on them then the norm”

Marjorie hands the document back to Shoshana
“Yes mother I have called our property management team and sent them on images of the apartments with specs. They are going to provide us with draft designs and budgeted estimates next Tuesday. I hoped for Monday but they are feeling the pinch with colleagues on vacation’

A loud knock is rapped on the office door and it opens quickly. It's Marjories thirty five year old Italian American secretary Helen. She is in a panic.

"The Farooqi brothers are downstairs at security. They want to come up . They will only give you ninty seconds to decide"

Shoshana and Marjorie exchange starkled glances.
They both stand up.
"Okay Helen send them on up. Perhaps they want to except our offer or want more. We can't go over 10% of asking price"

Helen zooms out.
"Mother it is quick if it sale agreed. Maybe the other buyers pulled out. If not they maybe desperate for more so let's go with five percent. Work up to ten if we have to."

"Darling. Great suggestion. Maybe they might shake our hands this time".

There is another knock on the door. A nervous Helen opens it. "The Farooqi brothers are here will I.."

Before she could finish the three brothers pushed passed her into the office.

The three enter and stand by the doorway. Marjorie rushes to her desk as quick as she can. Their eyeballs glare at Marjorie and Shoshana with shear hate.

Both mother and daughter are terrified. The hate filled bearded faces of the brothers suggests to mother and daughter they should of pulled out of the sale.

Marjorie stands by her desk. The security button at hand if needed.

Helen senses the tension in the room. "Can I get any of you a drink?"
The eldest brother turns around glaring at her. "We will not drink from the same well as these people. We will not be long. This is a meeting. Please leave".

Helen worryingly looks at Marjorie "It's okay Helen. Thank you. Can you let security know the brothers are here"
In other words have them close by.

Marjorie extents her right hand to leather seats at her desk.
"Gentlemen. Please take a seat".

The eldest brother examines Marjorie with a look of revulsion.
"We will not sit with you!".

Marjorie feels her gut ache as it warns of potential danger. She moves her hand closer to the security button.

One of the other brothers spots this. Moves and places his buttox on the desk right beside the button.
His vicious smile intimidates Marjorie. She moves her hand away. Her heart beat racing. She slowly sits down, her legs jelly like from fear. She glances at the younger brother. His vicious smile still directed at her.
Her thoughts turned to their safety.
She extends her hand in an act of friendship.
He looks at it in contempt.

Shoshana really wants them out. Their intimation of her mother terrifies her. She is extremely frightened. She hears herself wheeze hard through her blocked up sinuses. She has to do something.
"Gentlemen let's get down to business. We met last Monday. We are interested in buying your factory. Where are you in terms of our offer"

The oldest brother steps right in front of Shoshana. His 190 centremetre body towers over her. Her head cranes upwards. "If he goes for me I will not be able to defend myself" She looks across at Marjorie. A look of terror is etched on her face as she worries on what this guy might do.

The eldest brother speaks "We will not sell to Jews. We rather make a loss than see you make a gain"
At this they turn around and walk out.

They slam the door behind them

"Oy Gevalt Shoshana my heart. Oh my God. That was traumatic. Such horrible hatred."
Marjorie takes a few deep slow breaths to slow down her rapid heartbeat.

Helen opens the door and knocks afterwards, armed with an umbrella and four security guards. "I called back up and we were about to pretend to do routine security check but the weirdos just left. You really shouldn't do business with people like that. An umbrella will only get so far if you get in trouble in here.

"Thanks Helen. We will not be doing business with them. It's late.You should head home and have the morning off".

"Oh thank you Marjorie. I will leave the umbrella here. Just in case. Ok boys step down". She turns around and closes the door behind her.

Marjorie turns her attention to Shoshana.

"Darling are you okay. I was afraid they were going to beat us. Even kill us. Just because we are Jews"

Shoshana punches her right fist into her left palm. Unsure how to express her mixed emotions of fear, shock and rage.
“Fucking bastards”.
She places her left hand on her brow while she digests the reasoning.
“Won’t do business with us because we are Jews. Won’t shake our hands because we are Jews. If anything it should be us not doing business with them. How dare they!! The gall of them. Fucking anti-Semitic bastards. Still bitter over the six day war."

“Shoshana please sit down. Shouting will not help your Sinuses. I know you’re upset and angry. Their hate cut through me like a spear. I am in shock and angry too. My legs are like jelly and I am struggling to get my breath back but you will give yourself a headache and that's giving them the win"

Shoshana places her left hand on her forehead unsure how to use her angry energy.

"Mother. These bastards have just denied us a business opportunity because we are Jews. Tell me how the fuck are we meant to run a business if people are going to discriminatete against us because we are Jewish. Mmmmmm just sit fucking silently and say nothing. That has really worked in past"
A lump swells in her throat. She digs her teeth into her lower lip to fight tears away.

Marjorie's eyes begin to swell. She senses the pain of her daughter as only a mother can.

“Darling we are women in a male dominated industry. Add to this that we are Jewish.This not the first time we have been denied business because we are Jews. It's just the first time it was stated so blatantly. We will always have anti-Semitism to contend with. We have had it all thrown at us. Oh Jews are buying all the property. They are going to rent them to Jews and force us out. Jews have bought that property don’t rent there. That’s a Jew business. They are Jews. I don’t like them they are Jews. That Jews Company is a vulture fund. Are you a Jew. Don't Jew me down. SOMEDAY, SOMEDAY WE WILL HAVE PARITY”

Shoshana nods in disagreement. “Oh mother please! We will never have parity. You and I share the same experiences growing up. Excluded from play groups. Tormented in High School for not only being Jewish but for also looking Jewish. Branded in university as fat JAPS.

So many wanting to destroy every one of us. White Supremacists Religious fanatics and liberal movements we helped form. There are too many mother to fight.We’ll never have parity.”

She stops momentarily and bites her lower lip again.
“Here we are today. Yet again as mother and daughter experiencing Jewish hatred.”

Tears role down Marjories eyes.
"Shoshana please. It will never go away. It will always be there in some form. We just have to protect ourselves from it as best as we can"

Shoshana laughs sarcastically "oh so get even more security at our Synagogues and Yeshivas. Install even more security in our homes. Maybe get bodyguards. Will that be enough protection? I don't want to be like grandma may her memory be a blessing. Living with a packed suitcase under the bed in case she had to leave in a hurry. Bastards have given me a headache."

Marjorie smacks her left arm on her desk. Her voice trembling with emotion.
"STOP STOP STOP. You and I will never fully understand the horrors she witnessed. I remember her screams in the middle of the night as child and not understanding why. Your grandfather trying to calm her.
Her absolute panic when anti-Semitism occurred. Grandfather battling with her to relax and put the suitcase back under the bed. Your grandma had every right to be afraid. I am afraid. If you don't want to be like someone don't be like me."

Marjorie swipes some tissue from her desk and wipes her eyes.

Guilt strikes Shoshana like a bolt of lightening. She can't fight the tears anymore.
She hugs her mother sobbing
“Mother. I am sorry I didn't mean to upset you and dis Grandma. It's always there lurking in the shadows waiting. When it strikes the emotional feeling is horrendous. I am afraid too. Maybe that's why I get so angry because the way things are going we all will be more afraid".

Shoshana grabs some tissue from her mother's desk and dried both their eyes.

I want to be just like you. I admire you. I'm sorry".

Childhood memories of hate race back to haunt Shoshana. The exclusion and loneliness anti-Semitism gives her a cold shiver. She looks at her mother and recognises the dispirited look on her face. It was the same dispirited expression from when Shoshana would come home from school crying, begging not to be Jewish anymore.

“Mother why do they do these things us. Our Jewishness is virtually nonexistent. We are barely in the Synagogue four times a year. It’s not like we walk around with a kippah on our heads and a tallit over our shoulders?”
Marjorie clears her throat and takes a moment to digest the question.
“Darling to them it doesn’t matter. We’re Jews. That’s all that matters to them. They don’t distinguish between lax Jews or religious Jews. We are all Jews and they do not like us. To them we are inferior and a scourge. They don’t want all Jewry in Israel. They want it completely destroyed. Despite whatever good we do in the world it won’t matter. There will always be a conspiracy theory around the work of the Jew"
Shoshana embraces her mother with a tight hug and plants a kiss on her right cheek. Their special bond, no one could destroy that.

“You know mother I am thinking about the book I’m writing about young women in Business. Maybe I will put it on hold and write one on anti-semitism and Jewish women.
Marjorie laughs “Darling that will be a waste of time. The only ones that will buy it will be Jewish women. The ones you want to buy it won’t because they don’t care”. They both laugh.

“Oy vey mother” Laughs Shoshana “ Can you imagine the launch. 200 Jewish Businesswomen together all praising a book they could have written themselves that they bought for twenty five dollars when all of a sudden someone shouts stop!! Where are the anti-Semites that bought it”

"Mother to celebrate the contract signed in New Jersey. Earlier I booked us a table at the Hampton Kosher for nine. Fuck those bastards and my headache if we are not going to celebrate".
“Let me stand up and give your mother a hug. You are an endless bundle of love and joy”
They hug and tears of sadness are replaced with tear of joy.
They release from the hug. Marjorie pats her tummy “The thoughts of it are making me hungry already. As the song goes they tried to kill us, we survived, let’s eat”
Marjorie pulls back the sleeve of her expensive suit jacket to check the time “Its 7:45 now by the time I am finished and get across it will be about 9. Do you want to leave your car here and come with me from the office?’
“No mother thank you. I will drop the car home but if you and Max could collect me then we both can have a nice glass of wine. That is if of course if Max has not finished driving you around for the evening”
“No Darling he knows as my chauffeur driver he may have to do some late hours. Apart from dropping me at the airport and collecting me. He has had no other task today. I will let him know shortly.”
Shoshana again smiles widening her chubby face. She hugs her mother and gently holds her hands “We need to discuss over dinner the wonderful initiatives put forward for our community program by staff”
Marjorie smiles and nods her head in agreement “yes. We need to address how we can get all employees involved in the decision making process. I just have to finish the draft to the Irish fund prospectus. I will discuss it with you in the morning on our way to our business meeting with the American Bankers Association. I will ring you when I leave”.
Shoshana “Okay mother I will see you soon” and kisses her mother on her left cheek and leaves the office gently closing the office door behind her.
Marjorie slowly sits back on her leather desk chair picks up her phone and advises her private chauffeur Max of the evening plan.
At 8:10pm Marjorie takes the elevator to the underground parking first floor. The $150,000 Mercedes G Wagon is parked a few steps from the elevator to save her walking far. Max a 47 year old 183 centimetre former marine dressed in a grey suit waited by the rear passenger door which he opens as she approaches “Good evening Marjorie how was the rest of your day”.
Marjorie slides in carefully as Max closes the passenger door behind her. She presses a button and lowers a partition between herself and Max. “It was extremely busy but that is the nature of the business. Thank you for working late at such short notice.”
She opens her brief case and hands him an envelope. “Here are some tickets for the Mets game. I don’t really know if it is a big game this weekend but I know you are a big fan”.
Max’s eyes light up like he was ten again on Christmas morning. “Big game it’s the Yankees they have. You can get no bigger than that. Thank you very much Marjorie.”
“No problem. Much deserved. I do appreciate you being so flexible with my schedule. So just stop off at the house and pick up Shoshana then on to the restaurant”
“No problem Marjorie”.
Marjorie opens her black Vera Wang handbag and pulls out her smart phone and dials Shoshana. It dials out and goes to voicemail “Hi Darling. This is your mother. I have just left the office so hopefully traffic will not be heavy”.
“Maybe I will try the house phone”. Again she dials and it goes to voicemail “Hi Darling. Your cell phone rang out so I am assuming your battery is dead. I have left the office now and on my way. Bye bye love mother”.
Marjorie gets lost in thoughts of their emotional conversational earlier. How many times have Jewish families and friends had those conversations she wondered? How many more of those conversations will they have?
She checks her watch and quickly pulls out of her trance. 15 minutes passed since she called Shoshana and still no response. “This is most unlike Shoshana” She takes up her cell phone again and this time sends a message “Darling on my way. Traffic is moving well. Tried ringing you but no answer. See you soon. Lots of love xxx”
To occupy her mind Marjorie opens up Google and completes further research on Irish property investments. She could not concentrate and still no contact from Shoshana.
Marjorie became restless. This was so unlike Shoshana. She rubbed her face with her hands unsure what else to do. She looks at her message and sees it wasn’t delivered yet. Her gut began telling her something was wrong. She rang the house phone again and again it went straight to voice mail “Hey Shoshana is everything okay. I will soon be home”.
She rechecks the message she sent and it was still undelivered. She dialled her cell phone again. This time it made a disconnected tone.
Her stomach cramps with anxiety. Her breathing suddenly gets heavier. “Max can you step on it a little Shoshana isn’t answering and her phone is disconnected. I hope she didn’t have an asthma attack. The pollen was very high today and her sinuses are troubling her”
I’m sure she’s fine Marjorie. We will soon be there. Traffic is a bit heavy but I will try”.
Marjorie spends the next ten minutes redialling the house phone and Shoshanas cell phone which still has a disconnected tone. Her gut aches like never before.
Eventually The G wagon approaches the huge Hampton mansion. The automatic gates opened and the G wagon makes its way up the windy 40 metre avenue.
“Oh vey” screams Marjorie. The drivers’ door of Shoshana’s two year old racing green Jaguar S type was open and the engine running.
The S Wagon comes to a quick halt beside the jaguar. Marjorie pushes herself out as quick as she can to investigate the open drivers car door.
“Shes not here Max, oh my poor darling where are you”
“Maybe she is around the back Marjorie. Forgot her key or something”
Her gut tells her something sinister has happened. Her body pumps with adrenaline
“Oh God Max you go that side and I’ll look this side and meet you around the back. Let’s get calling her name in case she collapsed.
Marjorie searches as quickly as she can. Her physical condition was not the best. She drags her expensive suit places it never went before through trees, bushes and flowerbeds. The more she calls Shoshana the more she stresses.
“Marjorie come here quick”.
Marjorie moves as quickly as her corpulent frame allows, her breathing consists of deep gasps as she struggles to maintain a speedy pace. Her heart pounds wildly. There a few metres from Shoshanas car Max holds a pair of black glasses. “I think I found her glasses”
“Oy Gevalt” screams Marjorie “Her glasses. They are never off her face. She can’t see well without them. This is not right. Something horrible has happened her. My poor daughter my only daughter” Tears stream down her cheeks, any minute now she will get physically sick. She knew it was coming.
Something on the lawn catches the attention of Max. Briskly he walks over to investigate and picks up several pieces of a broken phone.
Marjorie massaged her huge tummy with her left hand trying to massage the pain however her anxiety levels were sky high “What are they?”
He walks over towards Marjorie “A smashed up cell phone, is this hers?”
“I need to sit down Max, I’m afraid I’m going to faint”. Max quickly grabs her left arm and assists her to a garden chair where she plonks down breathing deeply.
“Are you okay Marjorie. Do you need a doctor? She might be inside. If you give me the house keys I’ll check inside and you rest here. I will bring you out some water”
Marjorie leers towards the front door with its massive Romanesque porch.
“oh no oh no” she screams and leans over her left side to get physically sick on the lawn. A strong flow of tears now descends from her eyeballs down her cheeks. Chest pain now begins; she fears a heart attack is coming.
For the second time in one day her body traumatises from fear. On the large white front door in red spray paint is a massive swastika. The front two marble pillars also desecrated with this symbol of evil. Marjorie leans to her left to get physically sick again.

Shylock Financial and Property Services was ran by fifty seven year old Ruth Shylock and her nineteen year old daughter Jessica. Up to two years ago she ran the business with her late husband Moshe. Ruth sat behind her worn oak desk with her upper body leaned in close to the computer screen. Her eyes almost shut as she struggled to read a spreadsheet behind her think glasses.

Her concentration interrupted by the gentle knock on the white wooden door. Her 25 year old secretary Eliana enters, like her boss, she dressed conservatively. A long grey skirt went right down to her toes and a pink blouse covered right up to her hands. Like Shylock every hair on her head was completely covered. 'Tzu antshuldigen (excuse me) Ruth, Esther Tubal is here to see you!'

Ruth stud up from her desk smiling and straightened out her black pin strip suit jacket. 'My good friend and a real mentsh (good person)'

A heavy set lady of five foot five entered, dressed modestly in a dark pinafore which stretched right down to her ankles and a white blouse that went beyond her wrists. A Silver Star of David pendant hung loosely on her chest. Her hair completely covered with a white head scarf. A brief smile broadened her chubby cheeks. She was the same age as Ruth, they had been friends since childhood.

"shalom Ruth, forgive my unannounced visit".

Ruth laughed and directed Esther towards a black two seater sofa. 'kvetsh (don't fret) my old friend. There is always time to shmooze (small talk) with you'

Ruth sat in a matching two seater opposite Esther.

"I am lucky to have a mentsh like you as a friend Ruth".Her voice with an air of sadness "I was beginning to wonder if I'd make it, empty cab after empty cab passed me by, just ignoring me!!"

Ruth clenched her teeth in anger and extended out her right hand in anger "Feh (expression of disgust), we pay them too and they treat us like this!!"

Esther looks upward and signed "oh and the dirty looks and comments I get. it's frightening. Hirschl says we need to be ready to make Aliyah. It is getting bad for us again!".

Ruth extended out her hands in dismay "Oy Gevalt! (fear, shock) and now it isn't safe for us to walk at night, yet alone daytime.