July 4TH, 1983 :: Ravinia Park ~ Northshore Lake Michigan ~ The North Side of Chicago
by Robert Darnell

Sure a hell of a lot cooler than Camp Warnecke. But no rapids. Everybody up here is out of state. We're the only Texans in the crowd.

We are spread out on blankets, pillows, chairs, and sheep skins. Drinking Augsburger beer instead of Long Necks. Even Samantha's drinking an Augsburger. Robert had one and he's already passed out.

Chicago had a nice rain last night so it's pretty cool today. Most people are spreading out; some only blankets, like us, and some very elaborately set up tables with candelabras. Some are in blue jeans and some in formals.

Grant Johansson is starting to play the piano. No Frankie Carle, but adequate.

Old people are sitting in chairs. Younger people are stretched out in the sun. Many people are walking to and fro - here and yon - children are squiggling. Pat, Jerre, Diana, and Samantha went for a walk, exploring the park. Robert is sprawled out drunk, calling for more wine.

This same group yesterday went to the Water Tower Place, just like the Galleria, only it is built straight up, instead of spread out, and has ten times as many shops and people.

Yesterday they also covered the lake front and the Gold Coast. There aren't that many people in the world.

These big spenders from Texas bought a cigar and a T-shirt at Water Tower Place. That ought to make their tourist season for the year.

We just listened to Blind John Davis with blues, boogie, and jazz on the piano. He really made it talk.

Then Bob Gibson, folksinger, with Anne Hills; he opened with "Abilene, My Abilene" which really made a hit with me.

The MC of this show is Studs Terkel, host of the nationally syndicated Studs Terkel Show. We don't get it down in Houston.

Chicago is 500 feet higher than Houston so when we start home we're going to throw it in neutral and coast.

Next on our program is Art Hodes, pianist, with trio. They are lively and Jerre started jigging and crowd started wiggling. He is smoothe and soft. The crowd is syncopated in it's foot tapping.

We've been here four hours. One guy is sitting over there reading a book. He hasn't moved all day, except to turn the pages.

One old lady in a group sits over there and eats all the time. She's not fat ~ she's skinny. Burns up a lot of the fat carrying around all the food she eats. Every once in a while someone in her group pats her on the back and asks her if she wants something else to eat. She does.

One guy is wearing a straw hat. Two boys are playing football in the crowd, precariously.

Art Hodes and his trio were really good. They're now over and everyone is breaking camp.

This group is packing up. Robert is still passed out over there and missed the whole show. They're going to take everything to the car and then come back and roll him out there.

Boom, Boom, Crash, Pow! A happy fourth of July was had by all!

***

The next day after the Fourth, Bob and Jerre were pulling out of Chicago. One of the greatest thoughts they heard while there was this Chicago guy saying "...What people ought to do on the Fourth of July is not celebrate separation by shooting fireworks... But they should celebrate togetherness all over the world by exchanging lost socks. Can't you just hear the China man saying ~~'Ah So, Joe, I got yellow one, you got my blue one?'..."

We really had a great exit from Chi; Patrick, Diana, Bob and Jerre, stopped by for breakfast at Walker Brothers' old Pancake House and then Pat and Di took Bob and Jerre to the freeway, and we left. We had taken Samantha to the Montessori School where she was staying until noon.

The night before we left, we all went by to meet Diana's father, Frank, and stepmother, Dottie. We had a nice visit with them, and got to know them quite well in just a brief time.

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