Crossing the Bar

“Oh I’ve finally decided my future lies
Beyond the yellow brick road.”
Elton John and Bernie Taupin

A memorial service for William F. Neil took place at United Methodist Church in Valpo. Among the items on display was his distinctive, dark red University of Chicago cap and gown. Ron Cohen and Fred Chary attended, as did his Friday lunch companions until recently Keith Lorentsin and Jack Greueenfelder. Retired Nursing faculty Hazel Malone Geologist Mark Reshkin came, as did Rick Hug from SPEA, the only non-retired IUN representative. I shared memories of Bill taking me to Miller Beach when I first came for a job interview and got everyone laughing mentioning his reference to the “Yellow brick Road” during a faculty meeting and Paul Kern saying afterwards that he was surprised Bill was familiar with Elton John’s album. George Thoma’s daughter mentioned Bill once arrived at their house playing a bagpipe and that her dad called him Sweet William, also the name of a flower (Bill loved to garden) and the nickname of a commander of the victorious royal forces loyal to George II in the 1746 Battle of Culloden, William of Marlborough, Duke of Cumberland, who defeated “Bonnie Prince Charlie.” Memory cards showed Bill in his WW II uniform; on the back was Alfred Tennyson’s “Crossing the Bar,” which contains these lines: “And may there be no sadness of farewell when I embark.” Methodists loved to eat, the minister quipped, and indeed the sumptuous feast included roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, a string bean casserole, salad, rolls, and a dessert selection that included cherry pie. I skipped dinner that evening.

A crazed gunman shot Congressman Gabrielle Giffords in the head and killed six people near a grocery store in Tucson, Arizona, where Giffords was greeting her constituents. She is a moderate Democrat and thus a target for Tea party fanatics. Sarah Palin campaigned for her opponent Jesse Kelly and included her in her notorious crosshairs map as someone people should be gunning for – or as Sarah put it, “Don’t retreat, instead RELOAD.” Kelly termed one of his events “Get on target for Victory in November” and explained, “Help remove Gabrielle Giffords from office. Shoot a fully automatic M16 with Jesse Kelly.” One victim was the granddaughter of former Phillies manager and Cubs G.M. Dallas Green, born on 9/11/01, who was third grade class president and interested in how government works.

The first posting on Ray Smock’s blog “All Things Congressional” is entitled “Amending the Constitution in an Era of Bad feelings.” The number of proposed amendments is normally between 100 and 200 per session, including the perennial Balanced Budget and Flag-Burning Ban proposals. He predicts an increase given the November election results. The Republican-controlled House of Representatives spent two hours on its first day of regular business having members read the constitution out loud. They did some editing to cleanse the document of references to slavery. Ray posted his reaction on Facebook: “The next thing you know the same people that took Injun and the "n" word out of Huckleberry Finn will be selling a Reading Version of the Constitution that leaves out any mention of servitude or slavery. We can skip the 13th Amendment altogether because it reminds of unpleasant things in our past.”

Despite the snow Saturday, the Hagelbergs picked us up for dinner and the theater. At Pesto’s in Valpo were numerous students all dressed up for a formal dance. One table contained all girls. My sea bass entree had a topping similar to a crab cake. The Chicago Street Theater production “Route 66,” featured Beach Boy-type songs and made references to cities along the famed highway between Chicago and Los Angeles, including St. Louis, Flagstaff, Amarillo, and San Bernardino. Interspersed between skits were simulations of half-century old radio commercials extolling the virtues of vintage cars. The four-man cast sang Jan and Dean’s “Dead Man’s Curve.” Ironically, in 1955, two years after the song was a hit, Jan Berry was severely injured in a car accident in Los Angeles not far from the real curve. Years ago, we saw Jan and Dean at the Star Plaza. Jan was still suffering from the after effects of the accident, but other musicians covered for him. We purchased season tickets for the upcoming year; productions include “Chicago” and “Nunsense II.”

IU Press has accepted Sheriff Roy Dominguez’s autobiography for publication. Roy just returned from Texas and thanked me for my part in bringing it about. It will come out as a trade paperback similar to the Paul O’Hara book Gary: Most American of American Cities.” Having finished it, I am very impressed at its organization, analysis, and readability. When doing my research, I was like a sponge, soaking up information from as many sources as possible. That seems a fitting description of author O’Hara as well, in the best sense of the word.

I triumphed in three of four games (Amun Re, St. Petersburg, and Dominion) and would have won Acquire were it not for a stupid move, merging Tower into Continental even though I didn’t need the money and Dave had more Tower stock. He made a couple smart moves that made him first in Continental, the largest company. Watched the Eagles lose to the Packers. David Akers missed two field goals and Michael Vick was intercepted in the end zone to seal Green Bay’s 21-16 victory. Taking the trash out, I noticed activity at neighbor Sue Harrison’s condo. Husband Joe had passed away. I offered condolences and met her five middle-aged offspring. They had Chinese food and wine but no beer (Indiana still being dry on Sunday) so I brought a dozen cans over from our place. Joe has been ill for some time, but Sue was still taking it hard. How overwhelming it must be. In their safe Sue found instructions on how to handle certain things after he passes away.

Dave met me for lunch. He brought 30 East Chicago Central students to IUN who have enrolled in college courses. It being the first day of the semester, the cafeteria was packed. George Bodmer gave me a folder containing prints of his recent wood engravings and etchings. Toni will enjoy them. I congratulated IUN Lady Redhawks coach Ryan Shelton on the team’s victory over Robert Morris in which center Sharon Houston scored over 30 points. He and Dave talked about the E.C. Lady Cardinals being guests for a forthcoming game. Around 1:30 a dozen of his students wandered into the cafeteria saying that their instructor never showed up. I took David to the Communication department and learned that the instructor’s mother died the night before and his Speech class was cancelled for the entire week. Dean Hoyert and professor Ige helped sorting things out.

Professor Joel Rhodes of Southeast Missouri State University emailed: “Happy New Year! I did a review for your "Brothers in Arms" in the Indiana Magazine of History a couple of years ago and you graciously sent a couple of additional volumes. Thank you. I'm working on a new book project about the 1960s as seen through the eyes of American children and wanted to see if your students had ever run across oral histories like this? I'm collecting stories from people born between 1956 and 1970 about growing up in the United States during the 1960s in order to understand the meaning of “the sixties” from the perspective of children. More specifically I'm interested in how historical events between Kennedy’s inauguration in 1961 and Nixon’s resignation in 1974 impacted preadolescents based on their particular developmental age and ultimately whether this unique perspective on “the sixties” has had any impact on them as adults. In the first year I've collected almost 600 personal recollections from all over the country and was wondering if perhaps you or your students had ever interviewed folks from this generation?” Joel’s previous books on Vietnam protest and Missouri railroad magnate Louis Houck are excellent.

I replied: “There are a few references in my Sixties Shavings to younger people. Fort example, concerning the JFK assassination Steve Brown wrote: “What struck third grader Susan Brown as odd was the principal praying over the intercom. That was unprecedented.” There are numerous references to perceptions of race. For instance, Jim Cavanaugh wrote: “In December of 1966, nine year-old Bob and his grandmother took a bus downtown (Gary) to have lunch, do some window shopping, see a movie, and buy Christmas presents at Goldblatts. On the ride home two black teens starting goofing around in the seat directly behind them. When one bumped against his head, Bob turned around and received a dirty look and sarcastic laugh. When the bus stopped at the Midtown intersection and the rear door opened, one of the youths suddenly hit Bob in the back of the head and the other spat on his coat. He started crying, and his grandmother screamed at the driver, who was sympathetic but unable to do anything. That was the last time Bob ever rode a bus downtown. For a few years following the incident, and sometimes even later, he dreamed of catching those youths and killing them.” I sent Rhodes a copy. He offered to buy it, bit I said I only had a few copies left but that he could borrow it for as long as he needed it.

Gave my “Age of Anxiety” presentation to the Merrillville History Book Club. Radio and TV personality Tom Higgins heeded my invitation to show up and brought a photo for the Archives of a crowd in line outside the Palace Theater in 1958 to see Victor Mature in “China Doll.” He preferred not reading lines from his memoir of being at Horace Mann High School, so I had him recite a paragraph by Louis Vasquez. When someone brought up Wells Street Beach, Tom mentioned growing up near there and that a prostitution czar lived in a fancy house by the lake that Frank Sinatra would reach by speedboat when performing in Chicago. Somebody asked about murdered Lew Wallace teacher Mary Cheever, and Tom mentioned that there is a plaque honoring her at the First Presbyterian Church, which unlike City Methodist is still in good shape. Tom enjoys adopting the persona of a comedian on occasions such as this but was charming and mingled afterwards with the group. He asked about Phil as he always does and bragged about a couple other Channel 56 interns who went on to better things in the industry.

Niece Andrea sent a New Year’s card that expressed appreciation that Joe and I were pals. Told Joe that “Teutonic Terror” by Accept rocks. One verse goes: “Lighting the torches, setting the stage. You get what you ask for right in the face.” Looking ON Demand for “Hung,” an HBO series Ron told me I’d like, I came to a selection of late night shows that included “Cat House,” “Pornocopia,” “Taxi Confessions,” and “History of Pornography,” the latter with host Katie Morgan, a porn star with a breathtaking body who appeared totally nude and pretty much shaved in contrast to the full bushes on display in scenes from old stag films.

Derrick Rose put on a sensational performance in a Bulls win against the Pistons, highlighted by a one-handed alley-oop slam dunk. There hasn’t been this much excitement over a Chicago basketball player since Michael Jordan.