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Bennett CerfBennett Cerf
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Session:         Page of 1029

As I told you, he had been a great lithographer and then sold hosiery for my uncles for a while. Now he just went to baseball games every day. I thought he was getting very unhappy with nothing to do. I cooked up an excuse for him to come over and help us out in Random House. I explained that we were short-handed and could he just help out for a few days. I knew that once he was there he'd never leave. He became what we called the official critic of Random House. He grumbled about everything that was going on. Everybody in the place called him “Pop” and loved him. He was one of the gentlest, warmest, dearest men. He knew the secret life of every girl in the office. They would all come to him with their troubles. For any kids who came in, he always had a desk full of little presents he'd buy to give them--miniature tin automobiles and suchlike. He would also criticize everything we did. “When I was a boy, things weren't done that way.” Nobody paid the slightest attention to him, but he enjoyed himself.

Q:

Did he have any kind of influence really?

Cerf:

Just being there. Everybody loved him.

Q:

But I mean he wasn't involved in the buying or anything like that.

Cerf:

Oh, no. He did all kinds of odds and ends. He printed beautifully. He had a magnificent handwriting. I still have some of his folders. He'd make out records, and they'd all be





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