Coach

               Please forgive all the "name dropping" Just explaining how I got there!



My involvement with the Chicago Real Estate Board as a chairman also "volunteered" me to participate in such committees as Mayor Daley Sr.'s  "Historic Preservation Committee" and his Task Force on City Housing.

 Congressman Harold Washington had appointed me to his First Congressional District Housing Task Force. So....somehow I had become Mr. Task Force.

 I got invited to all sorts of meetings, seminars and dinners. After Mayor Bilandic there was Jane Byrne, and then Harold Washington and I continued on with this standing committee. When Richard Daley Jr. took office I was invited to his inaugural. 

Another committee asked me to assist in planning the invitations since I was connected to the Board. So..

..that is how I got to the dinner and met the Coach.

The room was filled with Chicago dignitaries and not so dignitaries, Every faction, every hue, north   south east and west side, politicians,  business folks, sportspeople,and local stars.  Saul Bellow was to address the crowd. It was noisy...music was playing....

                                          The Chicago Jazz Orchestra from Hyde Park.


...... the room was being cleared of the dinner settings. They were serving every kind of spirits imaginable.

I hated anything to do with men's ties in those days. The few that I had were clip ons. I could not stand the thought of a noose around my neck.  Back then I was known as a rebel. OK you can laugh at the pimped out me. Hilarious. I addressed a large meeting once and a voice in the audience asked.."Where's your tie?"
I pulled the tie out of my pocket and placed it on the table and  replied .."If you want to talk to me?  Here I am! If you want to talk to the tie...There it is!

 I was enjoying a glass of wine and watching Michael Jordan's mom as she charmed her guests.

                                                               Mrs.Deloris Jordan

The seat across from me was vacant and  I was so busy listening  I didn't notice when someone slid into the seat. It was............ 


                                                                   The Coach!

 We all said hello and he grunted something. He was "enjoying" himself back then. Without going into too much detail it is enough to report Coach was doing fine after his heart attack the previous year. People were approaching him all night. Pats on the back, Polaroids, requests for autographs and handshakes. 

 He handled it well.  You would of thought it was his inaugural.  He took a deep breath after each fan left.  We passed small talk.He kept scanning the room.  I resisted the urge to ask for his autograph. The speeches end, he shakes my hand  says "See yah" and headed to the bar only to be set upon by more admirers. He was a popular guy! The mayor stayed around for 22 years. The coach moved on later to New Orleans.  He is so much more relaxed these days. 

He's a funny guy! 

 He can do what he wants.