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I Remember Another Detroit
Apr 21, 2008 | 3:54 AM PST
Category:
Political
I remember the Detroit of the early 60's. A Detroit that was a wonderful place to run free and grow and learn. The Detroit that allowed me and my friends to come of age in the way god surely intended. Happy and care free. There were no warnings of sexual predators or horrific crimes against children in my childhood Detroit. No bullets whizzing through the air to ruin a summer day. No bodies in fields. No metal detectors in Goldberg elementary school on 12th and Vermont streets where I attended my first day of kindergarten. In my childhood Detroit I had a breakfast each morning before I went off to school. In my Childhood, mama got up and made sure we were in order before she got her day on the road. Daddy was already out the door to work and provide for his family in my Childhood Detroit. He stayed with his family of 8. He wasn't afraid to "man up."
In my childhood Detroit, I had to be in the house before the streetlights came on or else! No security guards in the basement of King Solomon Church on 14th street where I skated in the basement to Johnny Taylor's "who's making love?". My Detroit had doo wop on the corner in hopes that the crooners could run on down 14th street to the Boulevard looking to get into Motowns Hitsville USA. Barry Gordy was the man back then. They didn't do rap battles where you shoot and kill the winner. My childhood Detroit had Whites record shop where I bought my first Jackson 5 song , I want you back.
In my Detroit as a pre teen, I remember getting on the Fenkell bus in front of Miss. Ruths store on the corner of 14th and Stanley and riding it all the way downtown to make a 45 record at the penny arcade. Going into J.L.Hudson's and taking an elevator ride to The Picadilly Circus restaurant or to see the Christmas display. Sitting in the Adams or the Palms all afternoon watching movies was fun too. Bicycle and horse riding on clean, serene quiet Belle Isle park while my father sat in deep thought with his fishing pole in the water. What great fun it was walking miles in a crowd 15 or 20 kids to Kelsey swimming pool near the Wayne State University campus. Just to frolic and swim. We didn't have all the "stuff" that we reward our children with today. We loved the fresh air and sunshine. Little did we know that the exercise was good for us as well. I can't remember any kid not smiling and happy in my childhood Detroit memory.
My memories are grand ones. I so wish that the kids that live in my Detroit today could enjoy Soul Day at Northwestern by the big cannon. Then run across Grand River to Peppys and grab a burger. Man oh man, they wouldn't believe the concerts at Olympia Stadium. They would not believe you could go to a concert there for $5.00 and see 5 to 7 of the hottest acts on stage. That was a good time!
The kids of the now Detroit would not believe that there was no I-96. Would they believe that I played in the "big hole" that was to be the Jeffries freeway . In my childhood Detroit , you could smell the wonderful aroma of bar be que on summer holidays. If you stood in your backyard and looked either way in my childhood Detroit you would see a pit smoking in every yard and the sweet sound of soul music streaming through the air and yes, families. Really families! Stevie singing "I was made to love her, worship and adore her, yeah, yeah yeah." If only they would not have started calling me a BLEEP in song. ....I like what Stevie said better.
Then came 1967 and my Detroit changed. I saw tanks on 14th and Stanley instead of the Mr. Frosty ice cream truck. My Detroit had guys sitting on the stoop with their heads down and my father said " them boys on that dope." "Damn shame." I watched my wonderful and grand Detroit start to change. I learned a whole lot between 1967 and 1969 and it wasn't pretty......... The pusher became the man and It never was the same.
Daddy, what did Mama mean when she said STRESS just killed another boy? Mama , what do you mean he OD'ed on dope? Mama why did someone paint on that building "Free Bobby", Free Huey?" Mama, I like that song "war, what is it good for, absolutely nothing." But what does it mean ?
I remember the exact period when my Detroit childhood changed.
Now just look at my" Beautiful Grand Detroit. " Absolutely no resemblance to what it once was and absolutely no indication that it could ever be "Beautiful Grand Detroit: again
Now here we are. What do we do ? It's like a love affair that has died, but you still have your memories of what it was and you smile although you know you will never love that way again.
Most of the senior politicians (45 and over) who are native to Detroit probably remember the Detroit of my childhood. What say you about the Detroit of my childhood and what it has become? I no longer live in Detroit. It was a matter of survival and finance. I admit I sometimes feel a tinge of guilt for deserting her for suburban living. Especially with the current administration running amok and running her deeper and deeper into the ground Alas, Detroit you unfortunately left me no choice.
