My friend Bill assures me he knows everything about food because he’s Jewish. I assure him it’s because he lives on the West Side and knows everything about everything anyway. He had taken me to H&H Bagels which he says are "the best," a favorite expression of his. As we exit, we are accosted by a panhandler whom he brushes aside. I fork over $5. When he’s floored, I explain I did it to keep the guy over here on the West Side so he’ll like it and won’t move over to my side, the East Side. Bill thinks that’s very funny. I think it’s very smart and realize he doesn’t know everything about some things.

By Tina