Leslie Farkas

GEDCOM Note

Leslie used to get a spanking every night when his father came home - for all of the mischief he did during the day that his father, Frank, didn't know about. Leslie came to the US when his Aunt Elsie (Arthur Farkas's mother) returned from Europe after a visit home. The family took a train to France and left from that port on (we believe) the USS Acquatania. When he came to America he was 9 years old and taught himself to speak English without an accent by going to the movies as often as he could. He loved the movies and knew all of the actors. He would have liked to have become a star - and since he was extremely handsome, he might have been able to do it; however, he had to help support his family.

Leslie and his brother worked as delivery boys in their father's butcher shop from a very early age. He was great with numbers, and could calculate quickly and easily pretty much anything in my head - a skill that he put to great use during his gambling exploits. He made so much money at poker that he bought a partnership in a butcher shop when he was 16 years old! He was a butcher most of his life until he put his skill in numbers to use by helping his son Dale with Dale's business. Leslie was a very kind man, but demanded a lot of others in the work place; he was a tough boss and expected everyone around him to work as hard and as diligently as he did.

Leslie was not only extremely good looking but very strong and a good with his hands. During his early years disagreements were settled with fists rather than knives or guns. The military in 1941 was segregated with separate Negro (1940 term for Afro-Americans) units and housing. New York Jewish young men had few personal encounters with Christians. Intermarriage was a rare occurrence. Christian young men coming from areas outside of big cities never met a Jewish person. They came with a built in religious prejudice. Since there were no Negroes to hate, the Jews were a useful target.

Leslie as part of his personal hygiene was one of the few men who used Arrid Underarm Deodorant. A redneck commented that Leslie was a Jewish Fairy ( description of homosexual in the 1940s). Leslie took care of him with his fists. No further comments from any of the Christian barrack mates.

Leslie befriended Morris ( Murray) Schmutter a draftee from New York's lower east side. A very Jewish immigrant community. Murray was the stereotypical nice Jewish boy. He was short and non-atheletic. Murray was vulnerable for Anti-Semites to harass. Leslie became his protector and any anti-semitic insult aimed Murrray was at the bigots risk. After the war, Murray was Leslie's lifelong friend and our family insurance agent.

Louise returned to to Reading, PA pregnant. Leslie shipped out to Hawaii assigned to Tripler General Hospital. A big change from cold Canada to warm Hawaii. In the Medical Corps he was assigned to the Army Air Force as a medical technician. His assignment was to pick up severely wounded during the Pacific Island campaigns. Fairly good and safe duty.