Dr. Sigmund Freud the great psychoanalyst agonized for years on the theme: 

"What does a woman want?" 

Hundreds of books were written and lectures held on this subject.  Most of my men friends had their own way of asking. 

"What the hell do the bitches want?  The more you give them, the more they want. The more they have, the unhappier they are."

But my friend Herman Menke had his own answer. 

Charles Gottfried, Tony Telogin, Rocky Moshel and Herman Menke were my life long, intimate friends.  We were in the same line of business, belonged to the same organizations and clubs, saw each other daily and shared many intimacies together.

On one occasion, Charles invited Bassya and I to join him at an opening of a brand new furniture facility in his building in Oakland.  Herman also invited us.  We accepted, and one night drove out in one car; Charles with his date who was Naomi Lindstrom, Bassya and I, and Herman, who had no special date that night, although he almost always had lady friends as companions.

Herman was a single man living with his widowed mother.  He was a dedicated union organizer, very serious, a thorn in the side of the establishment, but he persevered and he helped the Bay Area become a union stronghold.

The new establishment was a conglomerate of furniture makers from the Scandinavian countries, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Holland, and even some Belgian firms combining to create a new concept of modern furniture.  They opened an assembly and distribution facility, hired workers, and invited a lot of people in the trade to a grand opening celebration.

I was impressed with the building and the grounds.  Birch trees, with their white bark, gave the outside a Northwest European look.

We were taken into the large show room, and here I was even more astonished with the new modern styles, colors and gracefulness.   The exposed wood was hand finished and polished.   Most looked like sculptures - flat minimum upholstery on the seats, the backs fit the human torso, especially fitted to the younger, slimmer, modern person, and I liked it.

We were escorted to the large room, where long tables were stocked with strange, good looking food.  I had never seen so many different kinds of herring, sardines, and fishes.  Steamed and poached, and many open face sandwiches.  I heard for the first time the expression "smorgasbord," and the favorite drink was "akvavit," a very clear and potent kind of vodka.

The place was filled with people that we knew, almost all in the furniture trade.  Charles had a big store and he chose to feature these new Scandinavian styles. The people that came over from Europe to run this establishment were very friendly.  The men made solid trade connections.  The lovely ladies helped with the distribution of the good food and drinks.  After a few hours, we left this place very pleased and happy.

Little did I know that within a few weeks, I would be part of this business.

Two men came into my shop, liked what I did, and how I did it.  They invited me for a private conference to meet their president.  It was very formal and correct.  It was explained to me that since everything is shipped K.D. (knocked down) in sections, arriving from Europe in large containers, sometimes parts are missing or broken.  Could I work with them with repair and replacement?  They also wanted to have new styles created and tested here.  Would I make the prototypes?

I accepted, and for several years I had a close relationship that was also very profitable for these Scandinavians and myself.

Their firm grew.  They employed many people from the Bay Area, and since everything was unionized, my friend Herman Menke, who represented two unions, was always there.

I noticed a young woman, the secretary to the man who was in charge of paying bills.  You couldn't miss her; rather tall, well shaped with all the right curves in the right places, long graceful legs and arms, ash-blond hair cut short, and pale blue eyes that looked even more spectacular on her extremely tanned face.  This young woman must have spent all her free time exposing herself to the sun.

My friend Herman also noticed her, as most men did.  Everyone turned his or her head to follow her when she passed.

I called on the firm almost every week, to discuss the new styles, and every time I came in this lovely secretary (whose name was Florence), always greeted me, and gave me a sealed envelope with payment for the previous delivery.

There never was a dispute about the charges or the percentage adjustment for cash payment. I loved this system.

Almost always after my visit I was invited to lunch with some of the personnel. Herman was also invited, and often Florence came along too.  There was a nearby small restaurant - no liquor, just sandwiches and salads.  And I noticed there was something intimate going on between Florence and Herman.  Others also noticed, as I saw some exchange of looks, and smiles, from the other secretaries.

I heard about these Europeans; how liberal they are, how free and non-possessive they live, and how couples often live together for years, until a child is born, and then they decide to get married.

I also knew that Florence, oozing with sex, was a married woman.  We met her husband , who also worked for this organization and traveled on their behalf.  So, when I was alone with Herman, I asked how far his "romance" with Florence had progressed.  He, being very wise, told me to rephrase the question. I asked:

"How far did you advance with your sex life with this young lady? Sex and love are two different attitudes. 'Sex' is a natural necessity. 'Love' is a luxury that only a few lucky ones can indulge."

"My sex life is ample, great, and fulfilling," he boasted. 

"We have great sex about twice or three times a week.  Florence never turns off.  She takes risks.  We have it in strange places, at different times."

I noticed that my friend had all he could handle with this Scandinavian beauty.  He gave up all other woman.  Yet, once he confessed that at the beginning she always begged him, 

"Please make me happy." 

He thought that she meant, 

"Please induce an orgasm in me." 

But she was orgasmic; had them all the time, sometimes several at one encounter.  Later, he found out what she meant, 

"Give me a child - make me pregnant".

Her husband had been previously married for seven years and hadn’t produced any offspring.  She had been married to him for four years, so it must be his fault.  But she loved him, and wanted to live her life out with him.  But she wanted her own child!

And every month, when her period came on, she went into a deep depression, cried, and didn't want to see anyone.

Herman also confessed that this kind of life was becoming boring for him.  To be a stud, to reduce the sex activities to a duty and a task, is beginning to be just a chore. And, as it must be to all men in these circumstances, the body said, "no." He couldn't achieve an erection.  Again and again they tried.  He was dead.

Tears and other methods didn't help.  They started to avoid each other.  I know that Herman renewed a liaison with another young woman, his passion flared.  He was good in bed; better than ever.

Everything else started changing as well.  Newer styles in furniture were developed.   The age of "elegance" had arrived.  Big overstuffed sofas and chairs, with deep cushions,  and velvet and mohair upholstery were selling well. One day I was notified that the Scandinavians had "folded their tent", closed their firm, and disappeared.

My business suffered as well.  Some of my men retired or died.  Some of my customers gave up their firms.  I got tired of fighting with inferior help and dwindling customers, and gave up my life long, self-created company.   I went to work as a salesman in a furniture store.

Occasionally, some of my old friends and customers dropped in to see me; to talk about the good old days.

One day Herman Menke came in.  I hardly recognized him.  He had gotten older.  His mother died, and he married his young passionate girl friend.  After she gave birth to their child she turned off from sex, became completely frigid, and devoted all her time to the child.  For sexual relief, he has to pay strange females.  He is now a successful stockbroker.

And when I asked about Florence, he smiled wisely.  Oh, she has it good.  He had  heard from her.  She and her husband bought a large home in the country in Denmark.  They adopted a little girl who is growing up to be a beauty, and two years after she adopted her daughter, she became pregnant and gave birth to a son who is a mirror image of his father.

And, Herman added wisely,

"I was always right. All a woman wants is to have children."