Paul M. Levitt - The Weighty Word Book

Benjamin Van Der Bellows worked for a very large and busy steamship company with offices all over the world. Benjamins office was in New York and commanded a view of the New York skyline, from the Hudson River to the East River, and from the Bronx to the Village. Located at the top of the Cloudhigh Building, Benjamins office was on the fortieth floor. Benjamin was proud of his office. Youre a lucky man, Bellows, a customer would remark; and Benjamin would reply, The largest offices and the best secretaries are, of course, reserved for the most important people. Then he would cough and turn to one of his secretaries and say something like, Take this down, Miss Rightwell. The next steamship from Oslo will stop at Plymouth on the way to Rotterdam. And Miss Rightwell would interrupt and say something like, I beg your pardon, Mr. Van Der Bellows, but the next steamship from Oslo will not stop at Plymouth on the way to Rotterdam. Benjamin, you see, simply did not know the things he was supposed to know. He was, in fact, not very smart.

The president of the steamship company finally decided that because of his many mistakes, Benjamin would have to step down. He called Benjamin to his office and said, Bellows, I am moving you from the fortieth floor to the twentieth. Benjamin couldnt believe his ears. Nevertheless, he moved down to the twentieth floor, where his new office was half as large as his old one. Here he had a view of 20th Street, with all its stalls and open markets. When customers came to call on him, he would lean back in his chair, survey his office, and say, This office, of course, is only temporary. I will be moving upstairs in a few weeks.

But in fact he did not move upstairs. Called into the presidents office a few months later, Benjamin said, If youd like me to take my old quarters on the fortieth floor, I can be packed and ready to move upstairs in a couple of hours. The president shuffled some papers on his desk and replied, As a matter of fact, Bellows, I had in mind another directiondownstairs, to the tenth floor. Benjamin was amazed. Downstairs, to the tenth floor, he said, whatever for? The president drew a piece of paper out of the pile in front of him and said, Remember, Bellows, that load of cargo you ordered shipped up the Nile to Cairo, Egypt? Yes, answered Benjamin. Well, said the president, it was supposed to be shipped up the Mississippi to Cairo, Illinois!

The next day, Benjamin moved into his new office on the tenth floor. Although this office was only half as large as the one on the twentieth floor, it had a good view of 10th Avenue and the docks. But only a few weeks later, Benjamin was called to the presidents office. Bellows, said the president, youre moving downstairs. Bellows was crushed. There must be some mistake, he said. Yes, the president replied, dozens! Remember the bathing suits that went to Iceland and the fur coats that went to the Sahara? Benjamin wiped his brow and replied, Well, nobodys perfect. The president angrily responded, Thats for sure!

Then the president leaned back in his chair and said, Bellows, water seeks its own level, and so does ability. Youre fit for an office in a basement!

So, whenever someone has been lowered in position or rank or office, think of Benjamin, who was lowered from a fortieth-floor office to a basement, and you will remember the word

Josephine and Kate were identical twins. They not only looked and dressed alike, but also behaved alike. Whatever one did, the other did. If Josephine rode with no hands on her bicycle, Kate did also; if Kate water-skied on one ski, Josephine did also. At school, it was the same way: if Josephine studied French, Kate did also; if Kate joined the Theater Club, Josephine did also.

When they were grown, they lived in the same house and worked at the same travel agency. They even took their vacations at the same time. Together they climbed mountains in Switzerland, sailed iceboats in Norway, and collected coral from the waters of Sicily. But one year, the most amazing thing happened: Josephine wanted to do one thing, and Kate another! Josephine wanted to visit Iceland, and Kate wanted to visit Luxembourg.

Luxembourg! Josephine exclaimed. It's so small! In one day we'll run out of sights to see. But in Iceland well be able to see fjords and waterfalls and geysers and fishing villages. What does Luxembourg have?

Luxembourg, my dear sister Josephine, said Kate, has deep winding valley streams and forests of oak and birch and beech. In all of Iceland I dont think theres a single tree!

Iceland, said Josephine triumphantly, has volcanoes!

Luxembourg, answered Kate, has a grand palace and a town hall and a famous cathedral!

Iceland, snorted Josephine, has chess tournaments!

So what? answered Kate; you dont even know how to play chess!

I can watch, answered Josephine.

Then watch by yourself, said Kate, because I am going to Luxembourg!

And I, replied Josephine, am going to Iceland!

But since the planes to Iceland and Luxembourg were scheduled to leave New York at the same time of day, the sisters agreed to drive to the airport together. When they arrived, they found several of their friends waiting for them. The friends had come to see the sisters off; they did so every year and always said farewell to both at once. But this year, since the sisters were going in separate directions, they had to do things differently: they had to say a first good-bye for Josephine and after that a separate bye for Kate.

So, whenever something (or someone) divides or separates into two parts, like Josephine and Kate, think of the friends who had to say a separate bye for Kate, and you will remember the word