When I was about 50 yrs old I was not doing much, not working, just hanging out at home and my wife suggested that I try going back to college. Well I tried college after the service and was promptly given the "chuckwagon" [tossed out} after about 2 semesters. They were nice about it and said in my transcript that I was released for poor scholarship. I mean they could have said I was stupid or ignorant. I would hang out in the cafeteria and would drink coffee with some people and when they went to classes I would wait for the next group to come in. I was never a school person {grammer, highschool, etc}. I reminded my wife about this but she said I was more mature now. I thought about it and I said {to myself, I am more mature and reflective,etc}. Another thing I was not sure about was I was 50 and the kids in my class would be 18 or 19. Would I be accepted? Well I went back to Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago Most of the students were from Chicago and commuters. Well I was accepted big time. I had alot of fun, shooting pool, parties etc.
As it was twenty years ago, I might be a little off on every detail. I mean 60 yrs ago I remember like it was yesterday but more recent stuff I might be a little off, but not by much, maybe even hardly.
There were alot of things that were really fun. One of them was I was in a first year biology class and the the maniac that was teaching the class was teaching it like pre med, at least that was what it seemed like to me. Well the first day I came in and the class was filled. He looks around and says that most should consider dropping because they would likely fail. I started thinking was he looking at me. This guy was no nonsense, did not smile and did not engage in small talk. Well I stayed in the class, but the material was hard, I actually studied for it but I also had a game plan with this guy. I used to go up to him after class and ask questions about the material so he would get to know me and see that I was serious about passing. Another thing happened that helped me get a little close to him. There was this guy I knew from one of my classes that I thought could be violent, I heard he once chased a teacher to her office. Anyway I found out this guy was playing racketball with the Biology Prof. so I would let him know I was friends with this nut and would kid the Biology guy about who was a better player. We became somewhat friendly.
Anyway at mid terms or finals cannot remember which, I was sitting in my usual choice of seats, back of the room in case they cut the lights to show a movie and I could put my head back and rest. In the next row to my side was two young kids, a guy and a girl proably just out of highschool. She was also in one of my other classes and she knew the guy, they probably went to the same High school. When the Biology exam started he says to her in a whisper what was the answer to a question and she ignores him. He persists and she keeps on ignoring. Finally he says Jen ,I need the answer what should I do, and she says, go home, take two s---s and die. I started laughing to myself as I did not want the teacher to see me chukling. Well the the kid turns to me and asks me in his whisper what the answer to the question was. Well I have been there myself and I wanted to help him, he was desperate. I don't know why he thought I would know it, I did not exactly win the nobel peace prize in biology. I usually figured out the answers by seeing how many a's, b's, c's,etc., I darkened in. In other words I was guessing. The one he was asking about I thought the answr was B. Now did you ever try and say b without moving your lips. I'm not sure a ventriliquist could. I'm telling him B without moving my lips, and trying not to let the Biology maniac see me. I'm saying B and this moron keeps saying to me, Jay did you say d. jay did you say e, Jay did you say,---. Finally I said B you moron b. The teacher sees and walks to the back of the room, now this guy was capable of ripping your paper up and tossing you out. Now I'm saying to myself all the cultivating I did with this nut is going out the window. Anyway he comes up to me and says Jay I want you to change seats those two are distracting you. I think I had one of the highest grades. Go figure.
Another incident I am not proud of and was not proud when I did it. I was taking a class on etyomolgy. Not a particularrly hard class, but I did not study enough for the final. I realized it when I started looking the material over just before class. It was basically memorizing. I wanted to get a good grade so I reasoned that if I studyed I could have memorized the answers. What did I do? I wrote some info on the palm of my hand. A 50 year old guy cheating. Bad Bad Bad. Old habits are hard to break especially for a corner guy who does not want to let go.
There were alot of things, once in a class on social issues the Prof. tells us to give our personal thoughts about something going on in society, just your feelings, not a right or wrong thing, just your feelings. Well I have been around for alot of yrs. at this point so I told how I felt about the issue. She grades me, almost failing my paper. I said, it was not a right or wrong thing, but I think she said she was dissapointed in my view points. Some of the guys in the class said they would tell her anything she wanted to hear to get a good grade. I could not do this so I came up with an idea based on the corner, just say things that would not mean anything, not what she wanted to hear, and also not what she did not want to hear.
In a sociology class the Prof. was like a 60s burnout, an old hippy dippy. He is telling us that in the 60s the Govt. invaded Detroit with Paratroopers dropping out of planes. In the 60s I was married, don't you think I would have heard about it when it was going on. Also, we have relatives in Detroit, don't you think they would have told us what was going on. THe Prof. was a decent guy in as much as he would let us argue about how preposterous this was. There were twin guys in our class who jus got out of the Army and they would argue also. After class this was a fun topic. There were more things, school was fun, I guess I was maturing.
About Me
- Jay Norman Davis
- chicago, illinois, United States
- Education was in Chicago, Emmett Grammar school and The Austin High School. Higher education was the corner of Madison and Central, "The Corner" on Chicago's west side. On one corner of "The Corner" was a drug store with a soda fountain where you could get drinks, etc. Outside among other things we pitched pennies and just hung out. On the other side of the street was Emmett Grammar School and the playground {PG}. It had a huge ball field where we spent alot of time. And down the street was the Bowling Alley [BA]., with about 32 alleys and pool and billiard tables. Alot of time was spent up there also. The Corner was a busy place where there were always "Characters" around from young guys to older men. Bookies, Gambling, and just hanging out. This was what we did from around 6th grade on. No drugs, no violence, just fun and sports and hanging out.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Centerfield bench June 6, 2011
The other day I was sitting outside my house, 55 yrs. after the Corner, PG, BA etc. Nice warm day with a wonderful breeze, and I felt a real feeling about the times on the corner. It wasn't just memories but a real feeling taking me back. As I said in previous posts, the Playground [PG] had a big ball field with benches around the outfield. While alot of time was made up playing ball, we also found ourselves sitting on the bench in center field under a tree just talking. Not about the economy or politics, or intellectual issues for sure but about goofy things one of the guys might have said or done. One of the guys might say if there were four or six, "lets play lineball". Line ball was a game of softball that you could play with 4 or 6 and still be meaningful. But if we were just sitting on the bench and talking on the warm day under the tree, so as not to be totally unproductive, we would turn this time into being productive. How? We would use it for planning what we were going to do in the evening when we had unproductive time. This was a win win situation because we turned the unproductive daytime, productive by using it for evening planning so that in the evening we would have something, although meaningless, to do.
When school was in, the schedule changed somewhat inasmuch as we had to be in school and even though our heart and mind was not in it, we had to be there. But at 3.00, we were faced with being unproductive and had to do some planning for the evening so when evening, night, etc. came around we had our plans made. But even though some would say all our plans were basically meaningless, in those days to the guys on the corner we never looked on them like that.
This lasted from about 6th or 7th grade until pretty much I got married.For sure until I graduated high school.
Looking back, unproductive was [is] good, at least for me. Then and now.
When school was in, the schedule changed somewhat inasmuch as we had to be in school and even though our heart and mind was not in it, we had to be there. But at 3.00, we were faced with being unproductive and had to do some planning for the evening so when evening, night, etc. came around we had our plans made. But even though some would say all our plans were basically meaningless, in those days to the guys on the corner we never looked on them like that.
This lasted from about 6th or 7th grade until pretty much I got married.For sure until I graduated high school.
Looking back, unproductive was [is] good, at least for me. Then and now.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Milestone Dinner Dec. 30, 2010
Some of the guys: I use the term guys because knowing them as long as I do,from grammar and high school, I cannot bring myself to saying men, get together once a month to have dinner and then play some cards. Last week we got together for a special dinner to commerate a special milestone which I am not going to explain. Alot of the "guys" could not make it, out of town on vacation, etc. As it turned out there were 7 of us. Marty H, Howard P, Don K, Howard Z, Erwin P, Billy G, and me,JD. We were at Shallots Bistro for a nice time of dinner and cocktails. I want to thank Marty H for doing the leg work in organizing, getting a perfect table at the restaurant,getting the Maitre D to accomodate our needs, etc. etc. etc. Don K brought gifts, a special book for those who achieved the milestone thing. In addition he had a program where each milestone guy had to read a certain passage from the book that applied to the guy. It was really nice for Don to do the work to find the appropriate passage.
Now since it is my blog I am going to give my personal thoughts about the time. If there is anyone who reads this, they are certaintly encouraged to post their comments or thoughts at the end of the post. About the book Don gave to the guys, I cannot tell you much, to be honest it was above me. It was not exactly Archie and Jughead. However the others understood it and it created conversation about some of the meanings of the various passages and even had Erwin checking out a word with the Spanish speaking people who were working at the restaurant.
We sat there from 4 to 7 pm talking and resolving world issues, mainly focusing on the lack of education that public schools, for one reason or another, were not delivering to the kids. We also touched on other economic , social issues, etc. The guys opinions covered a wide range, from commies [jk, just kidding] to right wing nuts like me, not kidding. The point being because we are so close to each other, everyone can say what he wants without being put down. We might agree to disagree but thats it.
On the nights when we play cards one of the guys might notice and say the pot is light, some one forgot to throw their nickel in. Then someone would say the guy sitting next to him did not ante his nickel to which the guy would say he did , well I didn"t see you. Then the guy would throw in a dime to to prove his point that he did put the nickle in and we would all laugh. Two things: here these old successful nuts are quibbling about their nickles, AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY, and about remembering whether the other guy anteed up or not. Some of the guys might remember about something that happened thirty years ago while others can't remember what they had for lunch or if they even had lunch. Someone might be sitting there quietly thinking did he forget to have lunch and maybe thats why he is hungry. And at the end of the night, about 9pm everyone embraces the others either verbally or physically. We care about each other
After sitting in the resaurant for three hours having dinner and cocktails and agreeing about things, disagreeing, or agreeing to disagree we embraced and see you at the next game. After we left the restaurant I started thinking. While the other guys have matured intellectually, I have not and thats ok, it works for me: and even though now a days there are times that I might get reflective about things that I did not before, I am a corner guy and talk corner talk. Sometimes I fall into a trap and try to espouse some intellectual issues , when I hear myself I feel like I must be losing my mind. My point being that even though being me the guys keep telling me not to miss so many monthly outings, I should come.
At the risk of sounding MUSHY, think about this, Over the MANY years alot of us have lost touch with each other and about 6 yrs ago we started to reconnect on a monthly basis, and the first time on seeing each other it was not reconnecting, because there was never a disconnect. It was the same as it was in school. We care about and for each other and like being with each other. There I said it, Reflective and Mushy.
Now since it is my blog I am going to give my personal thoughts about the time. If there is anyone who reads this, they are certaintly encouraged to post their comments or thoughts at the end of the post. About the book Don gave to the guys, I cannot tell you much, to be honest it was above me. It was not exactly Archie and Jughead. However the others understood it and it created conversation about some of the meanings of the various passages and even had Erwin checking out a word with the Spanish speaking people who were working at the restaurant.
We sat there from 4 to 7 pm talking and resolving world issues, mainly focusing on the lack of education that public schools, for one reason or another, were not delivering to the kids. We also touched on other economic , social issues, etc. The guys opinions covered a wide range, from commies [jk, just kidding] to right wing nuts like me, not kidding. The point being because we are so close to each other, everyone can say what he wants without being put down. We might agree to disagree but thats it.
On the nights when we play cards one of the guys might notice and say the pot is light, some one forgot to throw their nickel in. Then someone would say the guy sitting next to him did not ante his nickel to which the guy would say he did , well I didn"t see you. Then the guy would throw in a dime to to prove his point that he did put the nickle in and we would all laugh. Two things: here these old successful nuts are quibbling about their nickles, AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY, and about remembering whether the other guy anteed up or not. Some of the guys might remember about something that happened thirty years ago while others can't remember what they had for lunch or if they even had lunch. Someone might be sitting there quietly thinking did he forget to have lunch and maybe thats why he is hungry. And at the end of the night, about 9pm everyone embraces the others either verbally or physically. We care about each other
After sitting in the resaurant for three hours having dinner and cocktails and agreeing about things, disagreeing, or agreeing to disagree we embraced and see you at the next game. After we left the restaurant I started thinking. While the other guys have matured intellectually, I have not and thats ok, it works for me: and even though now a days there are times that I might get reflective about things that I did not before, I am a corner guy and talk corner talk. Sometimes I fall into a trap and try to espouse some intellectual issues , when I hear myself I feel like I must be losing my mind. My point being that even though being me the guys keep telling me not to miss so many monthly outings, I should come.
At the risk of sounding MUSHY, think about this, Over the MANY years alot of us have lost touch with each other and about 6 yrs ago we started to reconnect on a monthly basis, and the first time on seeing each other it was not reconnecting, because there was never a disconnect. It was the same as it was in school. We care about and for each other and like being with each other. There I said it, Reflective and Mushy.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
June 15, 2010 Part of winning team
Winning a softball tournament and just a few of the guys in the Playground fieldhouse. Where the others were when the picture was taken?????
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Corner 16 Feb. 3, 2010
Read my profile to get a feel for the "corner".
My friend "Ace",one of the five that were called the BIG SEVEN, and me, I ,whichever is correct, called some girls on the phone. How we got their number I cannot remember. They did not live around the corner and went to a different school. We made arrangements to go to a movie with them, [a date].We must have been around 8th grade as we were not driving. We thought we were so sharp as we made plans to meet them inside past the ticket taker. What we were is not sharp but cheap. To the girls credit they never saw us again, lucky them. We couldn't wait to get back to the corner and tell the guys how shrewd we were. One upsmanship, competion, even with girls was an important thing to Corner guys.
On a different rememberance does M remember the IYBC>
My friend "Ace",one of the five that were called the BIG SEVEN, and me, I ,whichever is correct, called some girls on the phone. How we got their number I cannot remember. They did not live around the corner and went to a different school. We made arrangements to go to a movie with them, [a date].We must have been around 8th grade as we were not driving. We thought we were so sharp as we made plans to meet them inside past the ticket taker. What we were is not sharp but cheap. To the girls credit they never saw us again, lucky them. We couldn't wait to get back to the corner and tell the guys how shrewd we were. One upsmanship, competion, even with girls was an important thing to Corner guys.
On a different rememberance does M remember the IYBC>
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Corner 15
Read my profile to get some idea of what the Corner was about.
O K my memory was refreshed about 2 of my boys, 2of the 5 who called themselves the Big 7???who decided to take off for a little R and R. [ From previous post] One summer they decided for a reason I will not get into that they were going to go to Florida. They took the dog [Greyhound], giving fake names for their tickets. They took it as far as Jacksonville and then hitchhiked down to Daytona. They were lucky that while they hitchiked they are here to tell about it. That some pervert didn't do them in. Anyway when they got to Daytona the first night they slept in a park. After a day or so one of the guys parents , who had tracked them down, told him if he didn't high tail it home he [the father would have my boys head]. The other corner guy stood there a few more days getting work in a restaurant until his mother came to get him. Mind you they, we, were 14 yrs. old. Gives you some idea about the corner guys.
O K my memory was refreshed about 2 of my boys, 2of the 5 who called themselves the Big 7???who decided to take off for a little R and R. [ From previous post] One summer they decided for a reason I will not get into that they were going to go to Florida. They took the dog [Greyhound], giving fake names for their tickets. They took it as far as Jacksonville and then hitchhiked down to Daytona. They were lucky that while they hitchiked they are here to tell about it. That some pervert didn't do them in. Anyway when they got to Daytona the first night they slept in a park. After a day or so one of the guys parents , who had tracked them down, told him if he didn't high tail it home he [the father would have my boys head]. The other corner guy stood there a few more days getting work in a restaurant until his mother came to get him. Mind you they, we, were 14 yrs. old. Gives you some idea about the corner guys.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Corner 14
When I think about the Corner days it makes me think about what I liked then and continue now. I am a hanging out person. I like talking about mundane things, just like we did on the Corner. Even though we spent ALLOT of time hanging out we didn't concern ourselves with the economy, the GDP, Conservatives, Liberals, commies,etc. What took up our talk was funny stupid things one of the guys did or said, sports, girls, gambling, do you want to go to the Hawks game, lets go shoot some pool, etc.
Where did some of us go wrong over the years, wasting time talking about intellectual, issues, arguments about finance , politics. I am not wasting my time with that issue stuff that is meaningless. I still like and do "hanging out talk". I AM NOT AN INTELLECTUAL AND HAVE NEVER BEEN. I AM A CORNER GUY AND I TALK CORNER TALK, and even though most of the other corner guys have become the intellectual, issues kind of guys, they know I am right. Loosen up.
Where did some of us go wrong over the years, wasting time talking about intellectual, issues, arguments about finance , politics. I am not wasting my time with that issue stuff that is meaningless. I still like and do "hanging out talk". I AM NOT AN INTELLECTUAL AND HAVE NEVER BEEN. I AM A CORNER GUY AND I TALK CORNER TALK, and even though most of the other corner guys have become the intellectual, issues kind of guys, they know I am right. Loosen up.
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