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SOUNDS BETTER THAN SAVANNAH
Marjorie Gottlieb Wolfe
Syosset, New York
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Shirley and Sheila, these pre-Baby Boom
classics probably aren't coming back soon.
They're playing bridge at a Boca Raton
retirement community.
While the name "Shirley" was a popular
choice 50+ years ago, its use has steadily
declined. In 2006, it did not rank in the top
1000 names for girls.
What is the meaning of the name? Shirley
is Bright Meadow or Bright Clearing. The
origin of the name is English.
People who like the name "Shirley" also
like the names Sally and Stella.
We've had many famous people named
Shirley:
. Shirley Maclaine
. Shirley Jones
. Shirley Booth
. Shirley A. Chisholm
. Shirley Fry
. Shirley Engehorn
. Shirley Ann Grau
And, of course, there was the hit TV show,
"Laverne & Shirley." One Yiddish dictionary
defines "shlemiel" as clumsy dope. Klutz.
Didn't you ever see Laverne and Shirley?
Fans of the TV sitcom will remember the
Yiddish-American chant that opened each
show:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8
Schlameel, Schlamazel
Hassenpepper Incorporated.
And that brings us to the humorous "Shirley" story that has appeared on the Web:
An armed, hooded "gazlen" (robber) bursts
into the 1st Jewish Bank of Long Island and
forces the tellers to load a sack full of
"mezumen" (cash).
On his way out the door with the loot, one
brave teller grabs the hood and pulls it off,
revealing the robber's "ponem" (face).
The robber shoots the guy without
hesitation. (FYI: The Yiddish word meaning
to hesitate is "kvenklen zikh.") He then
looks around the bank to see if anyone else
has seen him. One of the other tellers is
looking straight at him, and the robber
shoots him, too.
Everyone, by now, is very scared and looking down at the floor. "Did
anyone
else see my ponim?" calls the robber.
There are a few moment of "shtilkayt"
(silence), then one elderly gent, looking
down, tentatively raises his "hant' (hand),
clears his throat and says, "Excuse me sir,
I think my vife, Shoiley, in the blue schmata
over there caught a look.
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Marjorie thanks all of the following Shirleys
for their "frayndshaft" (friendship):
Shirley Gartner, Shirley Marlowe, Shirley
Dorfman, and childhood friend, Shirley (Cookie) Schneid/Wechsler.
Shirley
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