Career Path

It has come to my attention that there has been those in our family who have been ambivalent and uncertain when choosing a major in college and subsequently a career. I believe that most people “fall in” to a career or have one chosen them by their parents. I do not believe that many, at the age of twelve, say, “I want to be a doctor” and become a doctor. I do believe that the newborn whose father is the managing partner in a prestigious law firm will eventually become a member of that law firm. But for the rest of us, we “fall in.”

Larry was at loose ends when his friend, Arthur Lawrence, decided to sell his florist supply business. Larry was ready to “fall in.” When David’s friend, Michael Rombro, began his business supplying single dosage drugs to institutions and needed some to manage it, David “fell in.” Momma and I chose once and “fell in” once. Let me explain.

When I finished my work for a Masters degree in marketing and market research there was a recession and I could not find a suitable job. I knew how to cut meat and with my business education, we borrowed five thousand dollars and purchased the soon to be known Kenmar Food Market. It was a dingy, dark, old-fashioned mom and pop grocery at 238 South Stricker Street. We set to work modernizing the business. We cleaned up the place, purchased a self service refrigerated case and made the store semi self service. Business boomed and before long we had a major portion of the neighborhood business. We paid the loan even though Risa, Larry, Arnold, Marc and Phyllis arrived within the next four years. We purchased the building at 301 South Stricker Street and moved when the lease at 238 expired. We purchased new shelving and fixtures for 301 and when the tenant who lived in the room behind the store moved, we doubled the size of the store. Our sales circular each week drew in even more customers. The store bulged with merchandise, even to the point of hanging some from the ceiling. We purchased a house at 1512 McHenry Street and moved in 1953. We moved to Merville Avenue in 1959. We were busy, productive; life was good and interesting.

Then came the letdown. We had most of the business in the neighborhood. We even went so far as to look to purchase a larger store. But an examination of the records revealed that although the revenue was ten times that of the Kenmar Food Market, the headaches were also tenfold and the net profit was the same. There was no more challenge. I was bored.

Then came Charlie Oberman! Charlie was a detail man for a food broker. His job consisted of visiting food stores and convincing them to buy and feature the food products sold by his employer. As with most salesmen who came into the store, we became friends. Charlie’s brother was a chauffeur and go-fer for Congressman Samuel N. Friedel (D. Md. 5th Congressional District). Congressman Friedel and Delegate Marvin Mandel (D. Md. 5th Legislative District) were members of the Crosstown Democratic Club whose sole purpose was their election and re-election. It was in the early 1960s that Charlie Oberman introduced me to the Crosstown Democratic Club. I was fascinated! When the President, David Kramer was forced to resign because he became a Federal employee forbidden to be and officer of a political organization by the Hatch Act, I became President. Every office seeker came to the Crosstown and I introduced them. When Willy Don first ran for the Baltimore City Council, I introduced him. He later became Baltimore’s Mayor and Maryland’s Governor and Comptroller; William Donald Schaeffer. Benjy Cardin ran for the Maryland Legislature from the 5th District; he is now Senator Benjamin Cardin (D, Md.). I knew them all and they knew me. Pretty heady stuff for a thirty-some year old grocer from Stricker Street!

I asked Speaker Marvin Mandel if I could work during the 1965 Session of the General Assembly and spent the session working as Administrative Assistant to the Speaker. I learned so much about the operation of the Legislature and the State of Maryland. Even though Momma and I continued to operate the Kenmar Food Market, my boredom had vanished. When I decided that I wanted to work for the State of Maryland, Marvin Mandel steered me to Henry Miller, Commissioner of Labor and Industry. And when my job necessitated some legal knowledge, Momma encouraged me to go to law school at night, “Just take a couple of courses.” One course led to another and another and before I knew it, I was sworn in as an attorney in 1976.

It all started with Charlie Oberman; he was my “fall in.”

So do not despair. If it doesn’t come today, some day you will “fall in.”