“Choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable.”
–  John Kenneth Galbraith to John F Kennedy (March 1962)

Dr. Jack Nelson was the most elegant, refined human being I ever met.

He spoke slowly, concisely and confidently. He dressed impeccably. He knew everything, and everyone. He lived in a building named, appropriately, “The Excelsior.” To be presented, one was accompanied from the sidewalk, to reception, to the elevator, in the elevator, to his apartment door. Winters, he skied in Europe. Summers, he played tennis at a private club on the roof of an adjacent high-rise. He was the head of medicine at CBS, where his patients included Walter Cronkite and Mike Wallace. He maintained a Park Avenue private practice serving the high and mighty.

I met him because he was my medical school Medicine Attending. Reflecting his illimitable generosity, when our rotation ended, he insisted on taking our group out to dinner. Reflecting his impeccable taste, he suggested Lutece, The Four Seasons or a similar Michelin-caliber restaurant. As group-leader, he asked me to make the final choice.

I had never dined at establishments like those. I wouldn’t know what utensil was for what course. I didn’t own clothing or shoes appropriate for those venues. Furthermore, both my group-mate Paula and I kept kosher. I didn’t want to embarrass Dr. Nelson asking the captain about dishes’ ingredients. I asked him if we could try a kosher eatery instead. Dr. Nelson, Jewish, but not observant, of course graciously complied, pretending he welcomed the opportunity. He asked me to make a reservation at........

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