| Radio was the big communicator, back when
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| | inclined to buy you some candy, just to
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| I was a kid. Whole families huddled
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| | make the noise stop for awhile. We
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| around the speaker of that hulk. Our
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| | weren't too dumb.Fighting in Chicago was
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| minds, working like a cotton picker on a
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| | a prerequisite to boyhood. When we would
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| hot summer day. We had imagination.
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| | walk down the streets, past the alleys,
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| Vivid, plentiful thoughts, moving
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| | fear was constant, as all the really bad
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| throughout the story which was being
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| | boys lurked down that alley way. No place
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| broadcast.The characters, were like
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| | for the faint of heart. We all thought we
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| people we somehow knew. People who lived
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| | were tough guys back then. Maybe we
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| right down the street from us, in the
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| | really were?No drugs back then, at least,
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| three story apartment building. That
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| | none of us every heard about them. Our
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| apartment building, was a warehouse of
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| | parents made vague references to drugs,
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| eclectic personalities, popping from
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| | in retrospect, but, really, they didn't
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| every floor, and every door.Old cars, now
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| | even know what they were. Although, Pops
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| relics of the past. New, when we were
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| | knew what beer was. He knew all about
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| young. Cool cars too, metal so thick, you
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| | that. All the World War 2 guys drank
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| could hurt your hand just bumping into
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| | beer. Because, they really were tough
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| it. Lasted a long time, and made moving
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| | guys. We didn't know that you could be
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| about the big city of Chicago much easier
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| | tough, and not drink, and smoke
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| than taking the trolley, bus or "EL",
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| | cigarettes.Life in the alleys of Chicago,
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| short for elevated train.Oh yes, want to
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| | was not only for tough guys. It was an
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| get the scare of a lifetime, ride the
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| | avenue for commerce as well. The coal man
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| "EL" around one of those sharp corners,
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| | came with the truck, and shovelled coal
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| thirty feet off the ground. Steel wheels
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| | down a shute into your basement, to keep
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| grinding against steel tracks, making
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| | your furnace going. Thats right coal.
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| sounds so shrill,the devil himself, would
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| | Black smoke billowing from everyone's
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| cringe. I know my Mom's hands were
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| | buildings.Men selling rags, singing a
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| crimped for a week, when I would grip her
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| | song that was well known to us. "Rags,
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| hand so tight around those curves.People
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| | Rags, everyone needs rags, Ragman coming,
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| wearing clothes that made them all look
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| | come and gettem" Gosh, they sold
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| like gangsters. Suits way to large, cuffs
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| | everything in those alleys.Milkmen, with
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| on shirts that could hide a deck of
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| | horse drawn carts. Oh now, we loved those
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| cards, and a pair of dice.Litter blowing
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| | horses. They were huge with covers over
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| everywhere, down windy streets, sweeping
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| | their eyes. As kids we didn't know what
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| dicarded cigarette packages, and paper,
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| | those were. We really didn't care as long
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| and dirt, like a hurricane unleashed. It
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| | as we could pet the horses.The milkman
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| is the Windy City, after all.Another
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| | was kindly, and chipped off chunks of
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| memory comes to mind now, tennis balls
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| | ice, from the big blocks in the wagon,
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| being bounced off the lowest step of
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| | which kept the milk cold. We absolutely
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| building's porches. Thump, thump, and
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| | loved that. Ice, who would think that a
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| crowds of kids leaping over one another,
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| | little thing like that would be so
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| trying to catch the ball, as it bounced
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| | important to little kids. I will always
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| high into the air. No kid would even care
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| | be gratefull to that man for his
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| to watch that now, much less participate.
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| | kindness.Scissor and knife sharpeners.
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| We did it for hours. Boredom played
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| | They all had a song. Singing loudly, I
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| tricks on the mind.Did I mention, the
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| | admired them so. They were the best kind
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| best steps to bounce a ball on, were the
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| | of entepreneurs. Business men, who set
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| steps of Peterson's store. To us, it was
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| | their own pace, in a world of frantic
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| the candy depot. Apothecary jars, filled
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| | motion.There is so much more to those
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| with candy of every description. Hands
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| | days. So many memories that were the best
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| full of candy for pennies. Kids drool
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| | kind of life experiences, back when we
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| when I tell them how much candy, they
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| | was kids in Chicago.Part two, tomorrow
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| could have bought back then with two
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| | night. Look for it under my pen name/
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| dollars.We learned young, that after long
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| | Native American name, Luksi Humma, in the
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| hours of the thumping noise. People were
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| | search bar on the left menu.
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