This is Important!

I anticipate making the tigh tright hand turn off of 79^th Street at Sangamon into the tight cul de sac pavement that aprons the Leo High School staff and Alumni parking lot. I anticipate up a storm. I can see the chimney of Leo High School before I even get to Damen Ave. and it dominates the eastern skies of the Gresham neighborhood, suggesting welcome, safety, brotherhood and opportunity.  To arrive at that Holy Have requires grit, fore-thought and eyes on the mirrors.

I try to keep my eyes in rear view mirrors, especially to my immediate right. 79^th Street is a truck path between the Dan Ryan Expressway and the freight and rail yards that begin west of Western Ave. and continue to trucking and warehouse village of Hopkins in Archer Ave – Rt 171. 

Not only is there a legion of cars, SUVs, vans and hillbilly Cadillacs of all shapes, sizes and wheel fixture, but forty-foot tractor trailers and utility vehicles of monstrous size and intimidation insinuating their collective will upon my lightly armored vehicle and filo pastry thin heart.

The turn, as I said is tight, tighter than the pockets on a fat man’s pants, because 79^th Street is a wholly theoretical two lane street with bus and turning lane –east bound and west bound.   I longer take Vincennes to Halsted to 79th Street, avoiding a disasterous left hand turn at Sangamon altogether.

Like the theoretical crossing lanes at each intersection, two lane traffic, with right lane observances to ordinance and good manners, have become an urban venial sin – noted, but largely ignored. Most citizen-workers modestly follow the lane and speed limit; nevertheless, there are Byronic types for whom no law or ordinance stays they need for speed and avoiding the sight of tail-lights –universal.

Since 1995, I have been singularly fortunate to avoid collision on this thorough-fare. At Morgan I merge at at peril - courage helps an undoomed man. Others not so fortunate.  I have witnesses duels between motorists with the lane sober driver speeding up with the corsair driving with no plates. Several times, to my delight, the existentialist got crushed into a parked City vehicle. There are no bicycle enthusiast peddling 79^th Street – odd that. Why enter a lion's cage wearing a pork-chop suit?

In response to all of this haste-makes-delays driving and drivers, I have but two words –

“Trombone Shorty!”

Gresham Murder, Roger Ebert and the Great John McHugh

Yesterday, when the guys got out of school for the day, I heard the news of the death of Roger Ebert.  I had met the celebrated film critic, while I was teaching at La Lumiere School in LaPorte, Indiana.  In 1990, Ebert was doing a joint book signing in New Buffalo, Michigan which is about five mile north of the school.  Ebert and Frank Sullivan, Mayor Richard J. Daley's press secretary were selling new books and autographing copies.

Over the previous year, I had come to know the editor of the New Buffalo Times and her genius of an opinion columnist - John McHugh.  Mr. McHugh wrote scathingly witty idictments of the small-town, small-time hustlers in real estate and township government that were the Mint Melt-Aways of local reportage.

His prose was acidic, to-the-point and enfiltered.  Instead of bemoaning the the less-than public-minded Wolverine bandits, John McHugh would label them 'thieving gobshites!'

I had to meet this man.  My wife Mary and I invited John to dinner in the residence attached to the dorm I supervised.  We exchanged biographies.  He ignored mine and turned his attentions to my lovely wife and the Yankee pot roast, " Jesus, Mary.  How did you ever settle on this sawed-offvinegary gent, when the world is swimming with heroically proportioned and romantic swains like myself?"

John became a regular visitor to the campus and on several occasions lectured the student body on the craft of writing which had the kids howling in the aisles. Writing is conversation without the noise, or without the immediate need to enjoy a response - that is conversation.  Mr. McHugh chronicled his life in Ireland and his love of songs and poems.  He told hilarious tales of his subterranean encounters with vermin biped and quadruped as a Pest Control Specialist in Indianapolis.  His peace time US Army career and his salad days with the Chicago Daily News.

The dessert in this feast of gab, McHugh served up NBC haircut news reader Ron Hunter, an ego unhitched from the diesel of good living.

John McHugh explained that a person must be humble to be a good listener, energetic to be a careful reader, generous to be a decent conversationalist and honest to be a good writer. Good writing must satisfy the need to know, the desire to enjoy what one has learned and the compulsion to share whatever one possesses.

Roger Ebert was a deep listener and an energetic writer. He wrote an account of his friendship with John McHugh including the great tale of unhorsing an arrogant dope:

John went to work for NBC News Chicago, as the assignment manager. At one time his two principal anchors were Maury Povich and the legendary Ron Hunter, who was possibly the model for every character in the movie "Anchorman." John liked Maury but found Ron unendurable: "He's so vain that instead of wearing glasses, he has a prescription windshield on his Jaguar."
Anchormen value stories when they can go on the street and be seen in the midst of the action. One day McHugh came up with a juicy assignment for Povich. "The next day, " he said, "Ron Hunter comes into my office, puts his feet up on my desk, and says, John, that was a good story you had for Maury yesterday. What do you have for me today? I tell him, Utter contempt."

A great heart always points to an expansive intellect.   A dope has no recourse but to be arrogant.  It is axiomatic that Ebert and McHugh would be great good friends.   The death of Roger Ebert sparked my recollections of time with John McHugh.

I was still in the Leo van with thirteen Canaryvillains and the Sox were yet losing to the Royals.   Some few miles behind, I later learned, a man was dying on the sidewalks of 1400 West 80th Street - south of 79th on Loomis.  Last year, at about this same time, one fella died and five other people were shot up by thugs with a Tech 9 at 79th Loomis.

Roger Ebert passed from this life at about the same time as some poor guy near 79th Street, blocks from Leo High School.

Roger Ebert knew John McHugh and lived according to that association.  The Gresham homicide victim, like most urban victims, will be the news and someone else will make the news.

How do we live?



Sox lost to the Royals 3-1.  I passed the  police activity on my way home.

The Men of Leo High School Thank Chicago Police District 6

Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -
by the Divine Power of God -
cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.

Amen and twice on a Good Day.

The other morning, one of the incoming freshmen taking the Leo High School Summer Immersion classes that prepares the students for Catholic education and Leo Traditions of courage and commitment was attacked by three thugs.

6Th District Commander Eddie Johnson, Officer Armstrong and Detectives Slaughter and Hills (Leo '99) of the 6th Police District (Gresham)were on the case and continue to serve and protect.

The the young guys braving gang-bangers and thugs and dressing like gentlemen in tribute to the Choice in School that they and their parents have made and the caring professionals of Chicago Police Department are sending a signal to the Thug Life - They will not be intimidated.

The young guys know that the heroes in the Blue and White SUVs and patrol cars are there for them, just like Leo Alumni who pump hundreds of thousands of dollars into their educations.

God Bless all who watch over our Young Lions! May St. Michael the Archangel Guide and Protect you! Thank you, Officers!

6th District - Gresham


Eddie Johnson, Commander

7808 South Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60620
CAPS006District@chicagopolice.org
Phone: 312-745-3610
Fax: 312-745-3649
TTY: 312-745-3639