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Marjorie Gottlieb Wolfe
Syosset, New York
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The headlines tell it all:
THE SOUPMAN TAKEOUT RESTAURANT REOPENS ON JULY 20.
"The Soup Nazi" was the title of the 116th episode of Seinfeld. On TV.com, users rated this the best episode of Seinfeld.
If you recall, The Soup Nazi was the nickname of the character played by Larry Thomas. The term "Nazi" is used as an exaggeration of the excessively strict rules he constantly demands of his customers:
THE LINE MUST BE KEPT MOVING.
PICK THE SOUP YOU WANT!
HAVE YOUR MONEY READY!
MOVE TO THE EXTREME LEFT AFTER ORDERING.
Who can forget when Jerry, George and Elaine go to the "zup" store? Jerry explains the procedure for ordering. George accepts it; Elaine rejects.
When Jerry and George get to the soup stand, George notices that he did not get the FREE "broyt" (bread) with his soup order. Jerry tells him to let it go, but George asks for some. He is told he will have to pay $2 for it. When George objects, claiming that "yeder eyner" (everybody) in front of him got FREE bread, he is told that "der prayz" (the price) for bread is NOW "THREE dollars!" Of course, George protests. He quickly has his money returned and his soup is brusquely taken back, with the catchphrase, "NO SOUP FOR YOU!"
During "an ander" (another) visit to the "Soup Nazi" stand, Sheila will not stop kissing Jerry in the line of customers. The "Soup Nazi" orders her out of line, and Jerry is forced to "pretendirn" (pretend) he does not know her.
Later, Kramer, who has become a "freynd" (friend) of the Soup Nazi, tells him that his armoire was stolen. The Soup Nazi offers Kramer an "antik" (antique) armoire he has in storage in his basement. Kramer gives the armoire to Elaine as a replacement for the stolen one. Elaine goes to say "a dank" (thank you) to the Soup Nazi for the armoire, but he angrily declares that he never would have given it to Kramer IF he knew it was for her. He said he would have smashed it to pieces with a hammer ("hak"). Offended, Elaine returns home, where she and Jerry discover the Soup Nazi's secret "geshmak" (delicious tasting) soup recipes which have been left behind in "der shuflod" (the drawer) of the old armoire. She returns to his shop, recipes in hand, and declares that she is going to destroy him and his business by exposing his recipes.
Feeling ruined, the Soup Nazi decides to close the business and move to Argentina and starts giving away "der resht" (remainder of his soups. Newman and Jerry hurriedly try to take advantage of this opportunity.
Fast forward to 2010: Yeganeh neither owns nor operates the store now. It is a franchise. Company president, Robert Bertrand said that Yeganeh remains involved in the business. His soups are his babies. And there is even a webcam that permits Yeganeh to keep tabs on the place during business hours.
Oh, how the writer remembers the days
when Yeganeh ladled broth and imposed
his strict ordering rules.
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Marjorie G. Wolfe says, "Every American
businessman has the right to make a fool of
himself if he wants to, but too many folks
are abusing the privilege."
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