t lots ain't no real estate,
Rashkin. Vacant lots is just imitation real estate. You couldn't say you
got it real estate when you only got vacant lots, no more as a feller
what buys a gold setting could say he's got it a diamond ring."

"Diamonds is something else again," said B. Rashkin. "I ain't no judge
of diamonds, Mr. Potash, but about real estate, Mr. Potash, I ain't no
fool neither, y'understand, and these here three lots what I talk to you
about is the only three vacant lots in the neighborhood."

"Might you think that's a recommendation, maybe, Rashkin," Abe replied,
"but I don't. You come around here to try to sell it me a couple of
lots, and you got to admit yourself they're stickers."

"They ain't stickers, Mr. Potash," B. Rashkin protested.

"No?" Abe said. "What's the reason they ain't stickers, Rashkin? If they
ain't stickers why ain't somebody built on 'em?"

"You don't understand," B. Rashkin explained. "Them lots is an estate
that was in litigation, and it's only just been settled up; so that they
couldn't sell 'em no matter who would want to buy 'em. Now I got 'em to
entertain an offer of eighty-three thirty-three apiece, or twenty-five
thousand for the three lots, all cash above a blanket mortgage of ten
thousand dollars held by the Independent Order Mattai Aaron. I seen it
also Milton M. Sugarman, the attorney for the I. O. M. A., and he tells
me that they would probably be agreeable to make a building loan on them
lots of twenty-five thousand on each thirty-seven six front."

"That don't interest me none neither," Abe replied, "because I ain't in
the building business, Rashkin; I am in the cloak and suit business."

"Sure, I know," said Rashkin; "but this is an opportunity which it
wouldn't occur again oncet in twenty years."

"Don't limit yourself, Rashkin," Abe retorted. "Make it fifty years.
It's all the same to me, because I wouldn't touch it, Rashkin."

"But, Mr. Potash," Rashkin broke in, "if your partner, Mr. Perlmutter,
would be agreeable, wouldn' you consider it?"

"What's the use asking me hypocritical questions, Rashkin?" Abe replied.
"Mawruss would no more touch it as I would. You don't know what a crank
I got it for a partner, Rashkin. If I would just hint that I wanted to
buy real estate, y'understand, that feller would go all up in the air.
And even if he would buy it with me yet, and we should lose maybe a
little money, I would never hear the end of it. That's the way it go