That time again. What am I to write? The idols of my youth? Willie Mays, Karl Marx, Norman Thomas “Who are they?” you may be asking if you’re under the age of 50? Contemporary political events?
No, I am a Deli Man. So, about deli I will write. As Ben’s approaches its 47th year in business beginning with its first location in 1972, I remind myself of the many very successful men and women
who once worked at Ben’s.
Ensconced in telecommunications, information technology, the law, medicine, accounting, etc., they have made me proud. As you may know, working to satisfy deli restaurant customers is challenging…
and educational – worth at least two semesters of college credit. Believe me, I know. Where else could one learn to weather the storms of a benevolent despot (me), harried and hurried patrons and sometimes
irritating and inconsiderate co-workers? Yes, Ben’s can prepare one well.
Now, at the age of 70-1/2 with bad legs and feet from all those 100 plus-hour workweeks and other ailments, I can no longer climb nor move mountains. What my body cannot do, my mind must.
The task for a tired leader is to groom a cadre of successors and know when to move on. My next years at Ben’s will be spent marshaling the forces to ensure continuity of our core values – integrity, honesty and social humanism – and the Kosher Delicatessen tradition!
See ya at the Deli,
Simply,
Ronnie
