THE STORY: The scene is New York’s Lower East Side, the small shop of Abie Moscowitz, an aging Jewish tailor. He is visited by Shannon, an arrogant, brash investigator, who is suspicious as to why Abie wants to increase the value of his life insurance policy. Reluctant and guarded at first, Abie gradually wilts under Shannon’s relentless questioning, and we begin to learn the terrible facts of his past life—his concentration camp experiences, and the murder of his family. And, at the same time, we become aware of the terror in Shannon’s soul too: the vulgar bravado he has assumed to mask his insecurity and fear of failure in the competitive rat race of money and status. In the end there is a real and touching moment of communion between the two men—and a sudden, magical sense of understanding and compassion bridging the gap of time, and background, which makes their worlds so different.
