Edgar
I've been here in North Chicago since 2000.
I lived in Detroit from '70 all the way up to '78. I worked for Chrysler and they had major layoffs. I saw recruiter and I joined the service in '78 in Detroit. The Army. After my tour ended in '86. I went back down south, and things were'nt working for me there. So I came back up here to Chicago in '98. I got into a program and Jesse Brown [VA Medical Center] and got transferred up here to a program at the North Chicago VA. From then on, I've been here.
Did you did you know anything about North Chicago when you before you moved here?
No, didn't even know it existed.
So now that you've lived here 23 years, if you met someone who knew nothing about North Chicago, what would you tell him about North Chicago?
I'd tell them it's a great place to be. People-wise, you meet a lot of friendly people. You still have to choose your your associates. Is not all it's not all gravy. And it's not all bad. It's just like everywhere you go.
What's the very best part about living in North Chicago?
Employment. The job market is good here. And you know, wages are fair. Everything is decent. And me being military, this is basically a military community.
What was your job in the Army?
I was a mortorman.
That puts you in the thick of things.
Well, yeah, I did thirteen months on the DMZ [Demilitarized Zone] in Korea. You look at a guy the same distance as from here to the end of the block, and that's the guy that I'm supposed to kill, and he's supposed to kill me. It was kind of rough there.
Still, I would advise any young person– as far as establishing yourself and gaining gaining some knowledge– to join the service. It disciplines you and it makes you think about things. There's pros and cons. Once you get back out here in the society, it's a whole different world. You've just got to take it one day at a time and deal with it.
That’s some basic, but very sound advice.
My grandma raised me from a child. She instilled values in me. Back in the '50s and '60s down south, it was kind of rough for people. We were still going through segregation. There was a lot of this and that and a lot lof “yes sirs” or “no sirs.” The core value that I gained from that was do for yourself and don't depend on anybody else. You take care of your own business...
And the thing was, I was brought up in church. A lot of people now, they don't even go to church. That's important. Once you get your Christian side to working with you, then you're good.
How does your faith serve you on a day-to-day basis?
Being thankful that I'm here, being blessed, and blessed to have this home, and having not given up. Because he's there. That's why I keep Footprints [Footprints In The Sand poem] in my house.
When I was walking and I felt like no one was there... He was carrying me... I've always had that. Because when things get hard, you can always bow down, honor yourself, humble yourself. And he'll pull you through.
My cousins... they were in the fields working you know? Picking cotton and doing all kinds of stuff with mules and horses. My grandma never let me get into that. She always wanted me to stay and you know, go to school and get my education. Through her strength and her pushing me to get my education– that's how I stayed focused to be better. I did drop out, but once I went into the military, I went back to school and got my GED, and also did a bit of college.
What do you hope for, for your future?
Well, just to live and be happy. Maybe one day be successful enough to open up my own business, somewhere– a barbecue restaurant– then pass it on to my grandkids. They're usually here on the weekends. I work at night, so weekends they usually come over and spend the night with me.
Your grandmother was intent on setting a path for you, and you’ve got a mind to create a path for your own grandkids. What kind of advice do you have to pass down to them?
I tell everybody, if you see things you know that’s not for you, don't keep hanging around to find out. I you feel like you’ve got to, get on your knees and pray. Pray on it.
Think about what you're doing because you are responsible for you. You can't point a finger at nobody else for what you do. Whatever action you do the consequences come behind it. You have to accept those consequences. It opens up your eyes.
We learn from our mistakes. We do not gain or lose, but from our past we get growth.
This conversation has been edited and condensed.