The Age Curve: How to Profit from the Coming Demographic Storm

Chapter 29. Coming to America: Melting Into the World’s Melting Pot

I don’t know what set off the language change, but when we least expected it, my mother would make her point in German. This usually happened when she was excited, angry, or both. The funny part about it was that it came out of nowhere and would even be a surprise to her.

“Sitz dich hin!” meant, “Sit down! Now!” When she told you that you had a “mutz kopf,” it was a warning to lose the pouty lip and stop feeling sorry for yourself. We didn’t say “God bless you” after someone sneezed. We said, “Gesundheit.” When mother wanted to speed things along, she would say, “Schnell, schnell.” The irony was that my mom wasn’t fluent in German and never actually spoke the language.

My parents ...