MISCHPOCHA (EXTENED FAMILY)

My first year in "The Desert" I purchased a pair of trousers in a downtown Palm Springs clothing store. As I handed the sales clerk a credit card, I heard my name and turned to see an acquaintance from home. He was in a chatty mood. Meanwhile, I could hear the clerk mumbling that my card wasn't right.

As my friend left, I turned to the salesman and asked to explain the problem. He smiled and said that there had to be a mistake as my last mane was the same as his. Don Barer had owned a clothing store in Northern Califonia and retired to Palm Springs. Bored, he had wandered into the shop. On hearing Don's previous experience the manager hired him imediately.

I had met Don's sister, Elaine Gould, at Chuck Barer's 80th birthday party and his father, Ben Barer, had visited Walla Walla many years before. Ben had known Grandfather Barel and Grandmother Rissa in Russia and is my source on some of the information here.

Unfortunately, Don passed away recently.

I mentioned my encounter to Aunt Sophie. She told me that the day her family arrived at Ellis Island thet transfered to the ferry to Newark to visit the New Jersey relatives. Ben's sister took the greenhorn (newcomer) by the hand to the beauty solon and the clothing store to shed the shtadle and get an American "look".