Gladys
I was born and raised in North Chicago. My father was from Arkansas. He came here for job opportunities. My mother was from North Carolina.
I moved away a couple of times. I moved to California with my ex-husband, and I moved to Texas. Most of my family was here. That was reason I came back. I have a sister here, a brother. My kids grew up here; a daughter, sons, grandchildren.
I'm a family-oriented person and like to be within somewhat close reach. I don't want to have to get on a plane to come see my children or grandchildren. Family. Most of them have grown and most of them moved away. Except my son. One son still lives in North Chicago. My daughter lives in Calumet City and my other two sons live in Texas.
Other than your family, what are you most proud of?
The years that I that I worked and was able to retire with a blessing: a decent income. I worked for the federal government for over 30 years. I worked at Great Lakes Naval Base in every capacity. I probably worked at every building on the base. I loved working there and serving the military.
It gave me a sense of accomplishment when I was able to help or assist the military in any way. When they came in off a deployment or they were facing hardships, it was was a sense of accomplishment to be able to assist them.
What’s the best advice you ever received?
My father used to give advice all the time, and I didn't take it… It probably had to do with dating, you know, going out and that kind of thing.
My mother always had something good to say. She always said “What goes around comes around.” “If you dig one ditch, you'd better dig two.” “A cow will need his tail more than one day to fan flies.”
She always had some proverbs. Always. “Pride comes before destruction and a haughty spirit before fall.”
Your mother was a religious person?
Yes, she was. She was always sitting at the kitchen table with her Bible and a cup of coffee, and she always had a proverb.
Do you have a secret talent?
Well, I write poetry. I would do it as a hobby initially, and then people would approach me and say, “Hey, I need a poem for a wedding. Or I need a poem for this occasion…”
What a terrific gift to be able to share. Did they pay you for that?
No. [chuckling]
What inspires you to write poetry of your own?
Life. Life events. Happiness, or just day-to-day experiences. I might sit down and think about what a person would go through in certain situations and write a poem about it. I wrote a poem about emptiness; people go through emptiness a lot.
What was the subject of the last poem you wrote?
I just wrote one a week ago. It was called Faith. It was for a funeral. My grandson's aunt died and her name was Faith.
Do you have a favorite poem you’ve written?
In 2015 I released a book called Poems By Design. One of my favorites is in the book; it’s called Mama. It’s about the things I remember about her and how as a child I failed to see how much my mom meant to me.
What do you aspire to?
Well, I still work some, so I'd probly retire and travel. Go to different places. I've been Africa. If it didn't take so long to get there, I'd go back to West Africa.
What is your fondest North Chicago memory?
Walking to school, walking home for lunch, and then walking back to school. That was a time that we got to talk with each other and share each other's experiences and maybe even go to someone's house for lunch. We didn't have the the convenience of cafeterias then in our schools– it was it was a good time.
The whole community has changed, but it is signs of the time. People have grown up and moved away. Different people have moved in. Sometimes I ride down a neighborhood and I can remember who used to live there, and who used to live there– but all that's changed. I remember the little community stores where my mother would have tab there, you know? She would send us and tell us “Tell Mr. So-and-So I want this this and will pay on Friday.” Childhood things I remember; all that's gone.
The cover of Gladys’ book, Poems By Design, featuring a photo of her mother, Inez.
This conversation has been edited and condensed.