What made waiting on the comer table unusual on that particular day was that the guests had ordered cigars even before the meal had started.
Later they were joined by more guests who ordered more cigars. Abel looked up the name of the host in the maltre d's reservation book.
Woolworth. He had seen the name in the financial columns quite recently but he could not immediately place it. The other guest was Charles Lester, a regular patron of the Plaza, whom Abel knew to be a distinguished New York banker. He listened to as much of the conversation as he could while serving the meal. The guests showed absolutely no interest in the attentive waiter. Abel could not discover any specific details of importance, but he gathered that some sort of deal had been closed that morning and would be announced to an unsuspecting public later in the day. Then he remembered. He had seen the name in the Wall Street journal. Woolworth was the man who was going to start the first American fiveand - ten - cent stores. Abel was determined to get his five cents worth. While the guests were enjoying their dessert course - most of them chose the strawberry cheese cake (Abel's recommendation) - he took the opportunity to leave the dining room for a few moments to call his broker in Wall Street.
'What are Woolworth's trading at?' he asked.
There was a pause from the other end of the line. 'Two and one - eighth.
Quite a lot of movement lately; don't know why though,' came the reply.
'Buy up to the ffinit of my account until you hear an announcement from the company later today!
'What will the announcement say?' asked the puzzled broker.
'I am not at liberty to reveal that sort of information over the telephone,' said Abel.
The broker was suitably impressed; Abel's record in the past had led him not to inquire too closely into the source of his client's information.
Abel hurried back to the Oak Room in time to serve the guests coffee.
They lingered over it for some time~ and Abel returned to the table only as they were preparing to leave. The man who picked up the bill thanked Abel for his attentive service, and turning so that his friends could hear him, mid 'Do you want a tip, young man?'
'Thank you, sir,' said Abel.
!Buy Woolworth's shares!
The guests all laughed. Abel laughed as well, took five dollars from the man and thanked him. He took a further two thousand four hundred and twelve dollars profit on Woolworth's shares during the next six months. - When Abel was granted full citizenship of the United States, a few days after his twenty - first birthday, he decided the occasion ought to be celebrated. He invited George and Monika, George's latest love, and a girl called Clara, an exlove of George's, to the cinema to see John Barrymore in Don Juan and then on to Bigo's for dinner. George was still an apprentice in his uncle's bakery at eight dollars a week, and although Abel still looked upon him as his closest friend, he was aware of the growing difference between the penniless George and himself, who now had over eight thousand dollars in the bank and was in his last year at Columbia University studying for his B.A. in economics. Abel knew where he was going, whereas George had stopped telling everyone he would be the mayor of New York.
The four of them had a memorable evening, mainly because Abel knew exactly w~iat to expect from a good restauranL His three guests all had a great deal too much to eat, and when the bill was presented, George was aghast to see that it came to more than he earned in a month. Abel paid the bill without a second glance. If you have to pay a bill, make it look as if the amount is of no consequence. If it is, don't go to the restaurant again, but whatever you do, don't comment or look surprised - something else the rich had taught him.
When the party broke up at about two in the morning, George and Monika returned to the lower East Side, while Abel felt he had earned Clara. He smuggled her through the service entrance of the Plaza and up to his room in a laundry lift. She did not require much enticement to end up in bed, and Abel set about her with haste, mindful that he had some serious sleeping to do before reporting for breakfast duty. To his satisfaction, he had completed his task by twothirty and sank into an uninterrupted sleep until his alarm rang at six a.m. It left him just time enough to have Clara once again before he had to get dressed.
Clara sat up in his bed and regarded Abel sullenly as he tied his white bow tie, and kissed her a perfunctory goodbye.
'Be sure you leave the way you came, or you'll get me into a load of trouble,' said Abel. 'When will I see you again?'
'You won't,' said Clara stonily.
'Why not?' asked Abel, surprised. 'Something I did?'