Dirty Laundry

“I make my living off the evening news
Just give me something-something I can use
People love it when you lose,
They love dirty laundry.”

         “Dirty Laundry,” Don Henley

Dave’s “Best of 2017” CD compilation contains “Dirty Laundry” by All Time Low, rockers from Towson, Maryland.  The lyrics aren’t nearly as interesting as the song of the same name by Don Henley, who once said, “We all know that crap is king, give us dirty laundry.”  Dirty Laundry is also a brand of shoes, boots, and sneakers advertised as “not so dirty that mom wouldn’t want a pair for herself.”  The phrase “airing your dirty laundry”means being candid, spilling your guts in confidence to a trusted friend. It also refers to deep, dark secrets people hope won’t come to light. Gary’s dirty laundry includes U.S. Steel Corporation’s desecration of the lakefront environment – air, land, water - as well as other industrial eyesores, such as the Ninth Avenue Dump waste disposal area, now a Superfund site, one of several in the Region awaiting more than cursory federal attention.  It’s shameful that the polluters weren’t required to clean up the messes they made.

Years ago, while Dave lived with us, he’d accumulate more dirty laundry than Toni and I combined. Because he didn’t hardly sweat, many items weren’t soiled. It wasn’t uncommon for him to discard a pair of pants daily, plus sweats if he’d exercised or played sports that day.  If I only had a half-load, I’d grab some of his clothes, sometimes folding pants as if I’d cleaned them.  Toni and I moved to the condo on the condition that I’d do the laundry, so she wouldn’t have to make extra basement trips.

photos by Maria Strimbu

The night before our “Gary: A Pictorial History” book signing at Gary Public Library Ron Cohen told me there’d be a formal program, so I came prepared to thank the City of Gary (in particular Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson and Councilwoman Rebecca Wyatt) and Legacy Foundation for their financial support as well as Donning Company for their expertise in preparing the new chapter.  “Looking Ahead, 2004-2018” contains an introduction and 15 pages of color photos.  After crediting Ron for suggesting a third edition, I emphasized that, while the book does not ignore problems facing Gary, we wished to rebut the stereotype of a virtual ghost town and emphasize, not abandoned buildings – schools, churches, hospitals, movie theaters, and the like – once central to civic life, but rather the vibrancy and diversity of its people.  Subjects range from school and church activities to steelworker rallies and protests over efforts to construct an immigration detention center near Gary airport.  The chapter opens with a photo of Omri Amrany’s centennial sculpture “The Fusion” and closes with Corey Hagelberg’s woodcut “We All Share the Same Roots.”

"The Fusion" (2016)

Attending were colleague James Wallace and friends Mike Olszanski, John Attinasi, and Gloria Biondi, whose Region humor is reminiscent of late husband Clark. I spotted her as she was descending the steps.  “I’m leaving, it looks like it’ll be boring,”she joked.  Library board member Robert Buggs, once a fixture at IUN’s labor Studies office, was pleased to see Oz.  Dawn Darceneaux, a 1960 Froebel grad and former executive secretary to U.S. Steel public relations officer Tom Farrell, whom I hadn’t seen in 45 years, was delighted to discover that I had written about her in my latest Shavings, which I was giving away to those purchasing the pictorial history.  She was quoted extensively in an article about Richard Hatcher’s first year in office 50 years ago.

Others purchasing books included former Congresswoman Katie Hall’s daughter Junifer, and Indiana Room librarian David Hess (eight copies).  A Cedar Lake descendent of pioneer resident Obadiah Taylor and Potawatomi Indians, as well as town historian Beatrice Horner but with a Polish last name, knew about my controversial Cedar Lake Shavings, which some bluebloods thought contained too much dirty laundry about motorcycle gangs and “Lake Rat” lifestyles.  A city employee named Niavia had us sign hers; I asked her to write down her name and pronounce it – the emphasis was on the second syllable, not Níavía. Mayor Freeman-Wilson, who had praised Ron and me for our many years of service to the city, gave me a big hug and had us autograph a copy for her niece Jordan in Cambridge, Massachusetts.   

 Magnum Jamal at 4 Brothers Market

On the way back to IUN I stopped at Four Brothers Grocery at 1139 East 21st Avenue and gave the pictorial history to co-owner Magnum Jamal, pictured in the book. With the recent phasing out of the Frank Delaney housing project, I feared it might be closed after serving the community for over 30 years, but no need to worry yet.  Then I took one to Sharon Gardner in IUN’s Bursar’s office. Sharon’s husband, Pastor Dwight Gardner, is pictured (below) celebrating the sesquicentennial anniversary of Lincoln’s Emancipation on January 2, 2013 at Trinity Baptist Church.

Anne Balay’s “Semi Queer: Inside the World of Gay, Trans, and Black Truck Drivers” has alternating chapters titled “Rolling” and “Stopping” containing colorful subtitles such as “Drag and Fly” and “The Pickle Park.”  In the acknowledgements Anne wrote: “Jimbo Lane inspired my first book, and when I didn’t get tenure he fought for me fiercely, paying a high price for his advocacy and earning my undying love.”  She interviewed many of the 66 “narrators” at Gary truck stops and described them colorfully in an appendix.  Here’s what she wrote about Marilu Fanning, whom I’ve met for lunch and when Anne made a triumphant return to IUN as a guest speaker:

  Marilu is the most beautiful, hottest tranny around. She has been trucking all her life and transitioned while in the business.  She is big and bold and fun as hell.  She displays lots of cleavage, drinks double Stoli with a Coors Light chaser, and loves to sing karaoke, which she does in her deep voice.  Nothing is sexier.  We met initially in Gary, Indiana.  

Marilu Fanning

At Hobart Lanes the Electrical Engineers won two games and series against Pin Hungry Fire Ball, a team that included Delia’s Uncle Phil Vera, Angel Menendez, and Jaime Delgado, who always wears Gary firefighter t-shirts.  My 440 series included a half-dozen splits and no doubles. Horace Mann grad Dennis Cavanaugh on the next lane has an expressive wink that can denote hello, nice shot, or tough luck.

Purdue Northwest History professor Kenny Kincaid brought his class to the Archives and is hoping to return at semester’s end. I was at VU on a guided tour by Ascher Yates of his photo exhibit depicting war-ravaged South Koreans living in dire poverty in 1953-54.  Yates depicts battlefields so damaged even the ground burned.  One showed a boy his military outfit adopted, reminding me of M*A*S*H*.  I complimented Ascher on their quality and that almost all contained people.  The exhibit being near VU’s Art department, I ran into Liz Wuerrful, who introduced me to sophomore Carmen, who with two other interns accompanied Liz to Palestine last summer. Afterwards, I said hi to Brauer Gallery curator Gregg Hertzlieb, conducting a tour, and David Austen, whose photos of rural Australians were on display.  Austen grew up in Crown Point and was a Miller Beach lifeguard. He shot Ascher and me viewing his work.  In one a farmer fed a tiny kangaroo with a baby bottle.  Afterwards, Ascher drove us to Panera Bread – my first time.  My chicken salad half sandwich was delicious.

David Austen

Neither “Green Book” or “The Old Man and the Gun” with Robert Redford and Sissy Spacek has come to the Cinemark in Valpo.  I was the only patron for “Front Runner,” about the destruction of Gary Hart’s campaign to win the 1988 Democratic Presidential nomination after unethical Miami Heraldreporters staked out his townhouse and discovered that he entertained a woman not his wife. The resulting press frenzy to dig up more dirty laundry about Hart’s past that made further campaigning impossible.  This invasion of Hart’s privacy marked a turning point in the coverage of politicians by a press that had ignored marital infidelities of FDR, Ike (during wartime), JFK, LBJ, Ronald Reagan, and the 1988 Republican nominee George H.W. Bush, rumored to have a mistress.  The talented, charismatic Colorado Senator would have had a much better chance against  Bush than dour Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis, the eventual Democratic nominee. Bush 41, who passed away over the weekend, was an honorable man, war hero, and patriot who deserves praise for his civility and bipartisanship.  He was extremely competitive, not above employing campaign dirty tricks, and not without character flaws.  In his nineties, he allegedly liked to grab nurses’ asses affectionately (?!!!) but got a pass from the media due to his age and status.

George W. Bush declared his father to have been America’s best one-term president.  I disagree.  Both John Adams and John Quincy Adams (our other father and son combination) were superior, as was, I believe, Jimmy Carter.  He probably was our best Republican one-term president, comparing favorably to the likes of Rutherford B. Hayes, Benjamin Harrison, William Howard Taft, and Herbert Hoover.  Here’s a tribute to the elder Bush by Ray Smock:

  My tenure as Historian of the House of Representatives included the years George H.W. Bush was president. I had no personal dealings with him, but I was able to observe him on ceremonial occasions at the Capitol, during his State of the Union addresses and other times when he spoke to Congress. I met George Bush once and spoke to him briefly at an outdoor oyster bar in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1980, when he was campaigning for president for the first time. He lost in the primaries to Ronald Reagan, and then Reagan selected him as his running mate.

  The extensive journal I kept during the years I served in the House is filled with numerous references to him, especially in relation to the first Gulf War.

What follows is a brief excerpt from my journal entry for June 27, 1991, when the President and Mrs. Bush had a grand time in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol.  Today, President Bush will lie in state in that Rotunda, and I will be remembering him as I saw him there more than 27 years ago. 

  At 2:30 I went over to the Rotunda for the unveiling of the vice-presidential bust of George Bush. The Senate commissions busts of the vice presidents since they serve as Presidents of the Senate. The marble busts are situated in the halls around the Senate chamber. I attended the ceremony for Jerry Ford's bust a few years ago and chatted with President Ford on that occasion.

  But this was the first time a sitting president was able to unveil his own bust. The Rotunda was full of spectators and the press. A military band played a medley of tunes before the ceremony started. The leaders of the House and Senate were all there on the platform, along with the 90-year-old sculptor, Walker Hancock. Senators Ted Stevens and Wendell Ford spoke, and the Architect of the Capitol, George White, was master of ceremonies.

The President and Mrs. Bush seemed to thoroughly enjoy the ceremony. They were all smiles and relaxed and cheerful. Mrs. Bush seemed to enjoy the surroundings and I noticed several times that she leaned her head back from her seat to gaze upwards, taking in the magnificent dome and the Apotheosis of Washington painting in the center of the ceiling, 180-feet above her. The President was in a jocular mood and he set the tone for the whole event. It was lighthearted and friendly. The President said the press would probably say “President Gets Busted in Capitol,” or words to that effect. Then he said this was a rare treat to be at such and unveiling “when I'm not even dead yet.”Everyone had a good time and the whole ceremony was over in a half hour.

 Hermann Hesse

Driving James to bowling, we discussed German-born Hermann Hesse’s “Siddartha,” set in India, which he read in advanced English.  According to a recent article in the New Yorker, Hesse (1877-1962) had a difficult upbringing and rebelled against his parents’ strict pietist teachings.  He took solace in Eastern religion and sought to withdraw from his country’s tumultuous politics.  Most of his books, including “Steppenwolf,” “Narcissus and Goldmund,” “Siddartha,” deal with young people searching for self-knowledge and spirituality.

Before bridge eight of us dined at Gino’s in Merrillville.  Jimmy, the owner, stopped at our table, and I praised the free Happy Hour bar food available before book club meetings.  The same waitress who serves us at those gatherings asked Brian and Connie Barnes if they wanted the same meal they always split.  I ordered delicious beef tenderloin medallions smothered in mushrooms and gravy.  Toni was the big winner at cards.

I finished the “Ten Strikes” labor history by Erik Loomis, which ended with a chapter on the SEIU (Service Employees International Union) Justice for Janitors fight and its leader, John Sweeney, in 1995 becoming president of the AFL-CIO. I watched the first episodes of the HBO series “My Brilliant Friend” about two girls coming to maturity in postwar Italy (with subtitles, a TV rarity). The men were almost without exception insufferable, but several had the ability to keep cigarettes in their mouth while working, an impressive feat.  On the other hand, I was disappointed in the Lena-Dunham-created series “Camping.” For one thing, the men are puerile and pathetic.  More interesting are two teens who end up in a lesbian relationship and the 200-pound  bulldagger camp manager Harry (Bridget Everett) who ends up with New Age hippie Jandice (Juliette Lewis). Earlier, Harry was watching “Body Heat” with Kathryn and Walt’s son and this exchange occurred:

  Harry: Nudity is natural, it’s beautiful.

  Kid: Can I see your boobs?

  Harry: Not a fucking chance dot com, little man.

This surprisingly hilarious husband-and-wife exchange occurred when the main characters were high on drugs:

Kathryn (Jennifer Garner): Did you know chickens die after sex?

          Walt (David Tennant): The one I fucked did.

Forced to play backup QB Chase Daniel in place of Mitch Trubisky, the Bears lost to the lowly Giants. On the second play from scrimmage Daniel tossed a pass into the arms of a defensive lineman for an easy pick six.  Another interception would follow.  Fortunately, all other Bears’ rivals lost, including Green Bay to lowly Arizona, costing Coach Mike McCarthy his job.  Thanks to Eagles QB Carson Wentz and tight end Zach Ertz, I finished the regular Fantasy season 8-5, tied for first with nephew Bobby and thus earning a bye in the playoffs.

I drove through snow to Lakeshore radio in Merrillville to appear on the noontime Chris Nolte show about “Gary: A Pictorial History.”  Producer Dee Dotson, a recent IUN grad who majored in Public Relations and worked for the campus radio station under Eve Bottando, recognized me. I was only on the air for about 15 minutes but, a veteran of multiple appearances with hosts Tom Higgins and Jerry Davich, thanked our sponsors and emphasized our goal of focusing on people’s activities.  One of my favorite photos, I pointed out, was of Pastor Dwight Gardner preaching at Trinity Baptist Church.  Appearing on a page showing the Wirt/Emerson choir performing at Holy Angels and St. Timothy members who participated a jazz vespers service, it exemplifies the contributions of religious institutions striving to keep neighborhoods viable.

 St. Timothy vesper service by Billy Foster, top, right

After my bi-monthly haircut, I picked up an Imagine Dragons CD at Chesterton library ( Dave included “Thunder” by the Las Vegas rockers in his “Best of 2017” CD) along with Anne Tyler’s “Vinegar Girl,” subtitled “The Taming of the Shrew Retold” and set in Baltimore.  I have already read it but every so often get a yen to reread one of Tyler’s novels for their deft character studies.  “Vinegar Girl” begins, “Kate Battista was gardening out back when she heard the telephone ring in the kitchen.”  It was her controlling father, a Johns Hopkins research professor. Here are the book’s final words:

  Pyotr rose to his feet and placed an arm around Kate’s shoulders.  He smiled into her eyes and said, “Kiss me, Katya.

  And she did.

Chesterton library had the new issue of Traces with Hoosier Hot Shots on the cover.  One guy was playing a washboard.  Active for almost 50 years beginning in the 1930s, the Hoosier Hot Shots performed novelty songs (i.e., “From the Indies to the Andes in His Undies,” “I Like Bananas Because They Have No Bones”) and country favorites on radio shows such as “National Barn Dance” and appeared in several forgettable B-movies. Guest editor James Madison noted that Traces did not just focus on “great white men” during its 30 years in print and, citing my articles on Reverend L.K. Jackson and Women of Steel, its coverage of African-American and women’s history.