Abe J. Bassett as a Cartoon Character
Click on the audio bar below to listen to the June 11, 1994 interview from the home of Abe J. Bassett who is being interviewed by Alixa Naff, an American Historian.
Alixa Naff was a Lebanese-born American historian. She focused much of her research on the first wave of Arab American immigration to the United States at the turn of the 20th century. Naff documented Arab immigration to the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This first wave of mostly Christian immigrants was the first major emigration from the Middle East to the U.S. She donated her collection of artifacts and oral histories from early Arab immigrants to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. Naff had driven throughout the nation to collect oral histories and family heirlooms fr the collection. She amassed more than 450 oral histories, 2,000 photographs and more than 500 artifacts. The personal and household objects included a kibble pounder, Middle Eastern musical instruments, and clothing. The Fares and Yamna Naff Collection, which was named in honor of her parents, is available for research through the National Museum of American History. (Wikipedia)
Alixa Naff was a Lebanese-born American historian. She focused much of her research on the first wave of Arab American immigration to the United States at the turn of the 20th century. Naff documented Arab immigration to the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This first wave of mostly Christian immigrants was the first major emigration from the Middle East to the U.S. She donated her collection of artifacts and oral histories from early Arab immigrants to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. Naff had driven throughout the nation to collect oral histories and family heirlooms fr the collection. She amassed more than 450 oral histories, 2,000 photographs and more than 500 artifacts. The personal and household objects included a kibble pounder, Middle Eastern musical instruments, and clothing. The Fares and Yamna Naff Collection, which was named in honor of her parents, is available for research through the National Museum of American History. (Wikipedia)
Papa was a Psychologist
The following story is one of a half-dozen accounts that describe my relationship with my father, Abraham Joseph Bassett. It is taken from my memoir, “Abe, Son of Abraham,” published in 2013, and available at Amazon.com. The picture to the left is me in the first grade, about the time I would have been a squirt playing "elevator-boy" at the Kfeirian Reunion. ---Abe J. Bassett
Each year at Labor Day weekend, the family piled into our Chevrolet sedan for the trip to Huntington or Charleston or Beckley for the annual Kfeirian Reunion. My Papa had been instrumental in starting the reunion of descendants of Kfeir, Lebanon. In Williamson, there were nearly 20 families and more than a hundred each in the other cities. Most of the Kfeirians were related to each other and so it was appropriate, if you wished, to greet any person with “Cousin,” or “Uncle,” or “Aunt.”
The reunion provided an opportunity to see friends and relatives not seen since last year, and importantly, a chance for young people to meet eligible mates. But for the younger persons like myself, it was a chance to run up and down hotel halls and empty ballrooms.
There was a special chair near the registration desk, and if any person dared to sit in it, they received a surprise, which brought roars of laughter from those nearby. The chair had been wired, and an electrical shock awaited whoever had forgotten about the existence of the chair from the previous year.
* * * * *
One year, several of us boys discovered the game of “elevator operator.” It was as simple as pushing buttons. Guests were using the elevator to reach their rooms and we were only too happy to help them by playing elevator operator.
After several successful trips, one trip proved eventful. Somehow, the elevator stuck between floors. We had no idea how it happened or what to do about it. After a few minutes of slight panic on the part of some passengers and great panic on the part of the boy operators, the elevator started moving and the passengers reached their destination.
Knowing that enough was enough, it was time to leave our plaything and find something new. I thought it would be better for my physical health if I could avoid seeing Papa in the near future. But eventually we met. I expected the worst. But my dad gave me the greatest surprise in my young life.
“Son, I heard how the elevator became stuck and how you got it going again. I am proud of you.” Considering myself lucky over-shadowed any feelings of pride I might have had. And with a couple of slaps on the back, we were off on our separate paths.
Years later, after I had learned the concept of “reverse psychology,” did it occur to me that perhaps this was Papa’s way to say it is better to be a solution to a problem than the cause of a problem.
The following story is one of a half-dozen accounts that describe my relationship with my father, Abraham Joseph Bassett. It is taken from my memoir, “Abe, Son of Abraham,” published in 2013, and available at Amazon.com. The picture to the left is me in the first grade, about the time I would have been a squirt playing "elevator-boy" at the Kfeirian Reunion. ---Abe J. Bassett
Each year at Labor Day weekend, the family piled into our Chevrolet sedan for the trip to Huntington or Charleston or Beckley for the annual Kfeirian Reunion. My Papa had been instrumental in starting the reunion of descendants of Kfeir, Lebanon. In Williamson, there were nearly 20 families and more than a hundred each in the other cities. Most of the Kfeirians were related to each other and so it was appropriate, if you wished, to greet any person with “Cousin,” or “Uncle,” or “Aunt.”
The reunion provided an opportunity to see friends and relatives not seen since last year, and importantly, a chance for young people to meet eligible mates. But for the younger persons like myself, it was a chance to run up and down hotel halls and empty ballrooms.
There was a special chair near the registration desk, and if any person dared to sit in it, they received a surprise, which brought roars of laughter from those nearby. The chair had been wired, and an electrical shock awaited whoever had forgotten about the existence of the chair from the previous year.
* * * * *
One year, several of us boys discovered the game of “elevator operator.” It was as simple as pushing buttons. Guests were using the elevator to reach their rooms and we were only too happy to help them by playing elevator operator.
After several successful trips, one trip proved eventful. Somehow, the elevator stuck between floors. We had no idea how it happened or what to do about it. After a few minutes of slight panic on the part of some passengers and great panic on the part of the boy operators, the elevator started moving and the passengers reached their destination.
Knowing that enough was enough, it was time to leave our plaything and find something new. I thought it would be better for my physical health if I could avoid seeing Papa in the near future. But eventually we met. I expected the worst. But my dad gave me the greatest surprise in my young life.
“Son, I heard how the elevator became stuck and how you got it going again. I am proud of you.” Considering myself lucky over-shadowed any feelings of pride I might have had. And with a couple of slaps on the back, we were off on our separate paths.
Years later, after I had learned the concept of “reverse psychology,” did it occur to me that perhaps this was Papa’s way to say it is better to be a solution to a problem than the cause of a problem.
Abe took this picture from the "old" school in Kfeir when he was visiting. Interpretation - "Laziness is the mother of all vices."
