Vanity

Massachusetts Congressman “Tip” O’Neill, former Speaker of the House, tells a wonderful story about a man named “Honest Jake Bloom” of Boston. Honest Jake became well-known in the Boston area because of the assistance he gave three generations of immigrant families. He owned a little variety store and he would extend credit to the poor immigrants, helping them get started in their new land.

As Honest Jake neared his sixtieth birthday, a group of people whom he had helped in this way decided to give him a party and a gift of money. Jake received the money, gratefully, and began to use it for his own revitalization. He had his teeth capped. He bought a new hairpiece. He invested in a diet/exercise program and lost a lot of weight. He purchased a whole new wardrobe. Then he boarded a plane and a few hours later the “new” Honest Jake hit the beach at Miami. He met a beautiful young woman, asked her for a…