The Story of Bicycle Bill & Binomial Bill

What’s in a name? Bill wrote this story about himself and sent it as a text message to Karen Haas:

When Bill Schachter was 16 years of age, he got a job as a stock boy, at S. Binstock Jewelers, Inc. in Oakland, in Pittsburgh. Bill rode his motorcycle to work. In addition to Jewelry, S. Binstock sold furniture and appliances.

One of the appliance salesmen was Bruce Morris, an older, short Jewish man. He gave people nicknames. He called Tony “Wheels” because Tony had some trouble with his legs. Bruce called Bill “Bicycle Bill” because of Bill’s motorcycle. Bill kind of liked this nickname and told his friends. Soon, Bill’s circle of friends were calling him “Bike” for short. At Falcon Camp, Jack Hardman used the variation of “Bike Bill” — which is what Dave Devey uses to this day. And that is the story of Bicycle Bill.

Chapter Two: The story of Binomial Bill: Bill liked his nickname so much that he began inventing other names for himself, like “Dollar Bill” and “Bible Bill.” Bill’s lovely daughter, Rachel, learned the term Binomial… who’s definitions include “having or using two names.” Thus, “Binomial Bill” encompasses ALL of Bill’s many monikers. And everyone lived happily ever after.