Who's on First

I took Toni to “Sex and the City 2,” panned by Roger Ebert, who called the four women characters bubbleheads. Toni had enjoyed the TV series and the first movie, which she saw in Oregon with Alissa, Miranda, and Beth, so we gave it a try. It had its moments, especially the New York scenes, but most of the time the women were in Abu Dhabi acting like ugly Americans. Kim Cattrall was excellent as 52 year-old slutaholic Samantha (meeting a hunk in the dessert, she calls him “Lawrence of my labia”), but I cringed when she disrespects Muslim culture by walking around with her boobs hanging out and then when she spills her purse and dozens of condoms fall out. There was not much drama and I could care less about Carrie’s (Sarah Jessica Parker) marriage to bimbo Mr. Big (Chris Noth). The big conflict: would he forgive her for kissing an old flame. I was hoping she’d sleep with him and put some sexual excitement back into her life. As mediocre as the movie was, critics really seem to be piling on. One wrote: “Nothing says putrefying, rotten, and vile quite like this sequel.”

We watched James while Angie took Rebecca to her “Annie” rehearsal. He loved listening to the Abbott and Costello routine “Who’s on first?” Players have such names as Why, I Don’t Know, and Because. James’s favorite part was when Costello says, “Tell me the pitcher’s name” and Abbott says, “Tomorrow.” Speaking of baseball, the normally hard-hitting Phillies were shut out for the third straight game by the hated Mets, the first time such a humiliation happened since 1969, the miracle season for New Yorkers, when the feat was performed by Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, and Nolan Ryan.

Former student Terry Helton is being hassled at his job but plans to take some days off to fish the Yellowstone River. Imagine a black guy from Gary, IN, making like Robert Redford. Living in Montana does have its advantages. He is quite sentimental about my 1979 History of Journalism course and was delighted to find Joe Salacian, the Phoenix assistant editor via the Internet. He wrote: “It is kinda nice to catch up with the old gang. Though I miss ‘em, you included, I know those days are gone and that they will never return.” Sounds similar to Ryan Maicki’s paean to his Hobart High School days. Like terry, I still vividly recall some of the controversies involved with putting out IUN’s paper, pitting me against such luminaries as George Roberts and John Hunger.

I came upon “Steel Shores,” a 2005 publication that English professor William Buckley and “Spirits” editor Mary Nolan put together. It combines highlights from the IUN’s literary magazine “Spirits” and “Steel Shavings.” I sent Nolan a bunch of possible articles and she made the final cut. In the Preface Scott Fulk called both publications “the pride and joy of IUN.” Nice. He referred to himself as a Region Rat and mentioned that his family would say, “You can smell Roxanna” (their nickname for the mill area) when a north wind blew the pollution their way and “the stink of Northwest Indiana industry” filled their nostrils. It was fun rereading the publication. Jeff Warren wrote movingly about the Cline Avenue Bridge Disaster. Included were some Fifties interviews I edited about drive-in movie experiences called “Going to the Passion Pit.” Nick Tarailo’s wrote about his Serbian grandfather (who I also interviewed for my Gary book). Nikola claimed he arrived in Gary three days before the city’s first mayoralty election and voted six times for winning candidate Tom Knotts. In retirement the old steelworker referred to himself as “Old Scrap” but he was an esteemed patriarch whose sacrifices made it possible for his offspring to pursue meaningful lives. Meenakshi Svinivasan’s journal is entitled “Parents Visiting from India.” Her father was used to things being within walking distance and told her that being unable to get on a bus, scooter or rickshaw made him feel like he was under house arrest. Here’s her last entry: “My daddy came to my son’s swimming class to take pictures. He has photographed police cars, construction projects, mobile homes, RVs, limousines, and many other things. He wants to show relatives what life is like here. In the evening we went to a birthday party. The kids enjoyed the backyard sprinkler and played musical chairs and pass the potato. My son was apathetic, but I made him participate. He got a goody bag.” Meenakshi, I remember you well, and I hope America blessed you with happiness.

At lunch sculptor Neil Goodman asked about the History department and I bemoaned the denial of tenure of our best teacher, who recently won the Prestigious Founders Day Award. Hypocrites on the divisional promotion and tenure committee claimed the guy was inadequate in research even though he has read papers at scholarly conferences nearly every year, has published an article and had two others accepted, and even has a book contract. It’s a huge embarrassment to the university, and even people who voted against him are having second thoughts. Hopefully he will successfully appeal.