Trains, Hats, and Naps

It was a scary time for me. It was 1967 - 1968 and I had to make the decision every young person must make. What to do with my life. I knew my Dad's brother had gone to Coyne to study Television repair. I don't remember why I decided to attend DeVry Institute of Technology. Maybe it was because Uncle B. was in electronics and I always like visiting his television store. Maybe it was because living in western Kansas going to school in Chicago sounded exciting. Maybe because going away to school was scary and there were a lot of relatives in Chicago. Whatever the reason, I decided to attend DeVry in Chicago.

Anyway one night in early September 1969 my parents drove me the 75 miles to Kearney Nebraska, where I got on the train to Chicago. I remember being so excited that I barely slept the entire night. There was the excitement of my first train ride, my first time being away from home, of going to a large city. As I was getting on the train I asked my dad about what to do once I arrived in Chicago. I knew my Uncle H. was to meet me at the train station, however I hadn't seen him recently and didn't know if I would recognize him. Dad said to look for a short guy with a pipe wearing a hat.

Well after a sleepless night, I arrived in Chicago. I gathered my two suitcases and one briefcase and climbed down off the train. Once on the platform, I looked around and there stood Uncle H. We got into his car and he drove me to their house in Berwyn a suburb of Chicago. After some coffee, talk, and some lunch, I took a nap. The next thing I remembered was my three cousins waking me up and telling me it was time for supper.

That was my first day in Chicago.