The Corpse That Wasn’t there

By Harvey Tobkes

This story goes back about 40 years, but I still remember it all so clearly.

My brother-in-law Murray owned a factory located in Pittman, a small town in New Jersey, just off the Cherry Hill exit of the Jersey Turnpike. He was, I assure you, a very enterprising guy, always hustling and trying to make a buck. In those days he was a contractor in knit goods, and was doing quite well manufacturing sweaters for a well-known company located in Manhattan.

He had a family station wagon and he would drive, helter skelter to New York and back to Jersey, delivering the completed orders for his sweaters.

I had a used car operation in the Bronx, and my daily routine took me to Jerome Avenue (a wholesale mecca for used car dealers) and I would shop, looking for bargains, almost on a daily basis.

One fine day, I came across a pristine Cadillac hearse offered for sale at a ridiculously low price. I saw an opportunity and bought it, and after thinking who would be a customer for such a vehicle…Bingo!

On to Part II