Brings back so many memories. Mike never became High Rise Man. He moved to an old apartment building where he could afford to live and had a good view. High Rise Man (and Woman) live in all glass and steel towers downtown, exemplified by Lake Point Tower and all its uninspiring offspring. I gave insufficient credit to old Mayor Daley back then. What we would give for the city's stability and prosperity of his reign.
Before AT&T ruled the world, we were all beholden to Ma Bell. You know, like the days of telephone booths with phone books inside. Everyone was on a Party Line to save money and paid rental on your Bakelite phone in any color as long as it was black.
The area around Milwaukee, Western, and Armitage, was a world unto itself in the late fifties and early sixties. There were dress shops, tailors, cleaners,The Oak Theater, The Congress Theater, Margie’s, Woolworths, Bargain Town (before Toys R Us) and more taverns then one can remember.
The L stop was walking distance from streets lined with three and twelve flats. The Street buses still were electric with overhead antennas that were forever coming off the wires forcing the driver to deftly re-attach.
Everyone in my twelve flat had accents and their attempts at English were given an A for effort, but a lot of sign language ruled the conversation.
My dad would sneak off to the Pollack’s for a cold beer. I always wondered if it was the Royko bar. He was known as Irish to the other patrons. They never had real names. You were Dutchie, Dago Tony, The Greek.
I was lucky to be in that area formany of my formative years.
I see your point! Will look at this in more depth in the final chapter. Which admittedly I meant to post already but am still finishing off. Any day now!
Brings back so many memories. Mike never became High Rise Man. He moved to an old apartment building where he could afford to live and had a good view. High Rise Man (and Woman) live in all glass and steel towers downtown, exemplified by Lake Point Tower and all its uninspiring offspring. I gave insufficient credit to old Mayor Daley back then. What we would give for the city's stability and prosperity of his reign.
3300 West Schubert
Before AT&T ruled the world, we were all beholden to Ma Bell. You know, like the days of telephone booths with phone books inside. Everyone was on a Party Line to save money and paid rental on your Bakelite phone in any color as long as it was black.
The area around Milwaukee, Western, and Armitage, was a world unto itself in the late fifties and early sixties. There were dress shops, tailors, cleaners,The Oak Theater, The Congress Theater, Margie’s, Woolworths, Bargain Town (before Toys R Us) and more taverns then one can remember.
The L stop was walking distance from streets lined with three and twelve flats. The Street buses still were electric with overhead antennas that were forever coming off the wires forcing the driver to deftly re-attach.
Everyone in my twelve flat had accents and their attempts at English were given an A for effort, but a lot of sign language ruled the conversation.
My dad would sneak off to the Pollack’s for a cold beer. I always wondered if it was the Royko bar. He was known as Irish to the other patrons. They never had real names. You were Dutchie, Dago Tony, The Greek.
I was lucky to be in that area formany of my formative years.
I see your point! Will look at this in more depth in the final chapter. Which admittedly I meant to post already but am still finishing off. Any day now!