JJ

I moved from the west side of Chicago, Jefferson Park, but I grew up in Mississippi. Everybody was going to Chicago and St. Louis getting jobs back in the day. I was 18, but I had a lot of relatives in Chicago.

Chicago was so rough. They treated me so bad as a young man, the policemen did. After I had my first child, I wanted to move out of Chicago.

I moved to North Chicago when I took a job in Lake Forest as a chauffeur and houseman at the old Rumsey Estate, and helping to rehab the home there. I came here to raise a family.

But you mentioned that you’d retired from a job at Abbott Laboratories…

I was summoned to jury duty. My boss tried to get me out of it, but they were complaining about not having black jurors. They selected me and I had to serve, but every day my boss would harass me about serving on jury duty.

I got fed up, and I knew I wasn't going to stay there anyway because I was working on salary and sometimes it'd be three o'clock in the morning… So, I went over to First National Bank, borrowed $1,000, and put in my resignation. That must have been 1968. 

I had been doing handyman work all around– cutting trees and other things– and this guy at Abbott needed a tree cut. All I had to do was cut it and pile it on the ground for him for firewood. I cut that tree down for $100. And when we got through, he says to me, "My wife said the tree experts wanted $400 and you guys only wanted $100, so I could give you more money." I said no. I said $100, that's what it is. He says, "Well, if there's anything I can do for you, you know, but I'd be glad to pay more money." I told him that someday I might need a job at Abbott. And then he says to me; "Abbott needs guys that are mechanically-inclined, like you.” So after borrowing that $1,000 I turned in my resignation. It was just a bridge loan. I gave my two weeks notice and in a month, I was at Abbott.

Abbott was kind of like United Nations: everybody. I had just as many Polish and Spanish friends– matter of fact, I had more Polish and Spanish friends than not. I was blessed to get into Abbott. They took me under their arm and I got along with pretty much with everybody. 

I spent 27 years at Abbott, retired at 56, and I'm still here in my little shack in North Chicago.

This isn't a shack! You have a good-looking home with a well-kept yard!

My yard work comes from my mother. I still live by things my mom and dad and grandma told me.

Such as?

Work hard. Treat people right.

Your mom and dad and your grandma; what would they say about the person you are now?

I always had the highest appraisal from all of them. When I retired, they thought that was the greatest thing. I bought a brand new truck and they thought that was the greatest thing that ever happened. They all looked at me as a youngster, you know.

Kind of living the American Dream in a lot of ways, right?

I'm still dreaming.

What do you want for your future?

Be healthy, and as long as I'm capable of taking care of myself I want to keep on living. I still bowl. And I still do a little work. 

You're a bowler? 

Well, not a bowler but...

Do you have your own ball? Your own shoes? 

Yes, I do. Everyone does. I got everything.

When did you start bowling? Why bowling?

When I was a handyman, my helper was a guy named Ricky Cruz. Hispanic. He got me into it. And I couldn't have a closer friend. My brother is no closer to me than Ricky is. He's about in his 50s, and I'm 82 now, and we still talk like we did when we first met.

What is your greatest fear?

I have no fear. I feel like God is all powerful and what's gonna happen s'gonna happen.

This conversation has been edited and condensed.