BAD Reads
Enlighten The Gentiles #21: The Schlemiel, The Schlimazel and the Nebbish
These terms are often confused. One of the best way to illustrate these terms is goes like this:
The schlemiel (shlah-meal) spills the soup on the schlimazel (shla-mah-zehl). And the nebbish (neb-bish or neb-behch) cleans it up--badly.
The nebbish is an ineffectual bumbler. The schlimazel is unlucky. And the schlemiel?
The schlemiel is a lot like a nebbish, but more so. He's a bit of a klutz. The schlemiel is a simpleton. The schlemiel is a social misfit.
He's the guy who tells badly timed jokes. The kid in your class (or adult at your job) that asks dumb questions that make everyone else squirm in their seats.
He's well meaning, but he just doesn't have a clue.
The one in our library is getting married today. He has driven us all crazy for the past few months by being totally absorbed in his wedding plans and being even more of a pain in the toches than he normally tends to be.
Several staff members are attending the wedding (his second, BTW) which is a "themed' wedding.
And I won't go into it further than that, save to say that after watching "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" the other night, I've realized that this guy is kind of like Snoopy in his love for costumes and pretend personae. But he lacks all of the endearing, doggy qualities that have made the WWI Flying Ace so beloved.
In celebration of the fact that we will no longer have to hear ad nauseum about the wedding plans, and that we will being rid of the schlemiel/nebbish for several weeks while he is on his honeymoon (feh!), I brought in a cheesecake. Two cheesecakes in fact.
Several staff members thought that those of us celebrating were being a bit childish.
But I noticed it didn't stop them from eating my cheesecake!
Until next time, abei gezunt.....................................
