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A note to listeners this episode contains adult content.

It's a Sunday morning July 1923.

Bernie Gimbal and Horace Sacks gaze out the train window as fields whiz by.

They're heading back to New York City after a weekend together with her families on the Jersey Shore.

Horace is the 41-year-old president of Saxon Company, a department store for fashionable clothing,

situated on Harold Square right between Macy's and Gimbal's. The store that became synonymous with

fashionable and gracious living. He wears a tall fedora and a bespoke suit. He looks cool and

collected, but he's in a jam. Bernie, you know we want to build another more upscaled store run

Fifth Avenue uptown, right? Yes, we've talked about it. Have you figured out a way to pay for it?

That's exactly the problem. If I don't get capital quick, it won't happen. And without a more high-end

store, well, Bernie, Sacks won't be able to compete with you guys and Macy's. We'll go down.

Some might be relieved that a competitor might fold, but Bernie's concerned.

True, Sacks is his competitor right across the street, but he and Horace are close. They commute

together, go off together, their family's vacation together. Bernie doesn't want Horace's business to

fail. Bernie puts his head in his hands and thinks about his friend's predicament. Horace fiddles with

his pocket watch, a bit embarrassed by his own plight. Bernie looks around the train car,

and then motions to Horace to lean closer. Horace, Horace, I have a proposal for you,

but I see a half a dozen Wall Street guys in this car. I don't want anyone to catch wind of this,

okay? Follow me. Bernie and Horace grabbed their weekend bags from the overhead racks

and head to the next car over. It's a freight wagon. Crates line the walls and sitting in the middle

of the car is a shiny mahogany coffin. The two note the coffin and exchange looks,

...