That's Life 12-26-08

Issue of Dec. 26, 2008 / 29 Kislev 5769

Dear That’s Life,

A number of stories of mistaken identity have surfaced since my column from two weeks ago. I had forgotten that my friend Michal had emailed the other Miriam Wallach in response to something Miriam had posted on a community website. Thinking she was responding to me, Michal emailed Miriam something cute and sarcastic, to which Miriam emailed her back that she was, in fact, her, and not me.

Someone else told me a story about a man with his exact name who ran for public office — and it was not him. But when the gentleman who told me the story returned to work the next day, a number of co-workers approached him and said, “We voted for you yesterday!” Flattered, he thanked them — but then told them that he was not the man on the ballot. That was someone else with the same name.

Miriam and Ira Wallach are also major philanthropists and benefactors of the arts. Having donated a hall at the Museum of Natural History and an art gallery at Columbia University, I have received phone calls or cell phone pictures of my name in print, although it’s not me. And even though my brother in law’s name is Ira, he and I are not married to each other. But my husband Stephen eminded me of a story that happened a number of years ago in which the other Miriam Wallach and I were both mistaken for another Miriam Wallach who lived on Long Island.

For some unknown reason, Stephen had Googled my name. Among a number of things that came up was that Miriam Wallach from Long Island had donated $25,000 to the Democratic Party. Panicked and horrified, Stephen called me and asked if in fact, I had done such a thing. “Which would scare you more, dear?” I asked. “If I had written a check of that size or if I had written it and given it to the Democrats?” Unable to decide which was worse, he was silent but I broke the tension by laughing and saying that ‘no’ — it had not been me who had written the check.