my birth father looked cool in 1969

[datasuspect]

he was never a hippie.

got an old pic of him leaning next to his pontiac tempest convertible, wearing a grey suit, black ban lon shirt and wrap around shades.

he was a shady character back then.

the first employee for waste managment in the city of chicago when they subbed out his area in streets and san. union shop.

they had a shack at the incinerator. hired a cook. sat and played cards and drank while on the job. while he worked for the city, it was okay, because it was a patronage job, but this didn't fly with waste management. plus he beat the shit out his boss in the locker room.

first christmas i remember. he got fired around thanksgiving.

came through on "odd jobs" and ended up with this guy stosh in stickney moving freight around.

he knew how to drive a truck and got in with the teamsters, locals 701 and 710 at various times.

then there were the strikes.




one of my earliest memories is seeing my dad come home one sunday morning after being gone all night, his face ripped to shreds. he said some other guys caught him at the docks around archer and something and set dogs loose on him.