Downtown Part Two

As I mentioned in Downtown Part One, I worked for three different companies on the same block on Adams Street in Downtown Peoria during the late 70’s. It’s been a long time ago, but I believe Lowenstein‘s downtown store closed so I began working at their Pioneer Park Showroom and Warehouse. I can’t remember why I stopped working there but I’m thinking that one of their original warehouse workers was coming back and he had seniority. Hours were limited so I got squeezed out.

After a few afternoons of job hunting, actual job hunting, in person, ( Not like today where you fill out an application on line and hope someone in cyberspace looks at it. I still believe it’s better to look for work in person) I found my second part time job downtown. It was right next door to The closed Lowenstein’s building.

St. Louis Of Peoria Sheet Music was a dream job. I was hired to work in the warehouse unloading trucks and then filing sheet music. I can remember sorting and filing Paul McCartney’s Goodnight Tonight sheet music.

Lunch hours in those days were actually AN HOUR, and lunch downtown in the Summer was awesome. Somedays I’d go to World Drug for a homemade sit down lunch. Other days I’d eat at a pushcart but one thing was always consistent, I always had time to pull up a piece of green grass at the courthouse and take a short nap.

I really liked my job and I made friends with another guy about my age. I think his name was Bart. Bart asked me one day if I got high and of course, I was a child of the 70’s and said yes. At lunch, Bart proceeded to take me into the building next door which was where I had worked not long ago. It was dark and still housed a few furniture pieces. Many were covered in sheets. Bart opened a drawer to a desk and pulled out a pipe and a small amount of marijuana. He had his stash hidden in this unused building and I was a little concerned about how safe we were. Bart said he smoked here all the time so I relaxed and took several hits.

After lunch, Bart and I we’re in our Warehouse feeling silly. I guess I was feeling a false sense of security as Bart seemed so cavalier about our horsing around. There were three large posters in the warehouse of famous classical composers. One of Beethoven, one of List and one of Chopin. They were trade promotion posters and I didn’t think they were that sacred. So, in a silly, stupid, impulsive, attempt at comedy, I picked up a black marker and drew comment bubbles out of each composers mouth. Then I started coming up with dialogue. I wish I could remember exactly what I wrote but I think it was something like this. The stern looking Beethoven appeared to be saying “I suck eggs”. List, who was looking to his right appeared to be saying “so do I”. Chopin‘s bubble just said, “Suckers”.

Bart was laughing right along with me so I thought it wasn’t that big of a deal. However, the next day, after Dad dropped me off on the back of his motorcycle, I was asked to meet the boss in his office. I still had my motorcycle helmet with me when he began. “ I thought you told me you liked your job here“. I replied, “well, yes I do”. I was then told I was going to have to be let go. ”why”?

I replied. Then he proceeded to inform me that he found out that Bart and I had smoked marijuana yesterday and that was against the law and against company policy. I was stunned and afraid what my parents would think. Damn, I was only doing what Bart had been doing for who knows how long.

The boss drove me home and I met my mother who was at our kitchen table. “What are you doing home” she asked. “I was fired” I said. WHAT???? Why? Once I mentioned pot she went ballistic!!!!!

I tried telling her that I only did what Bart had introduced me too and I think I got the “if someone jumped off the Brooklyn bridge would you speech“.

Mom and I went back and forth for several minutes....then she called MY DAD!!!! She told him it was an emergency and within ten minutes he was coming through the front door in his Air National Guard Master Sgt uniform.

Mom asked me, “tell your father what happened”. “I got fired from my job for smoking pot“. I replied. I waited for the Queen mother of tongue lashings followed by a beating or worse. But, all he said was, “that’s it?” “That’s the emergency?” My Mom couldn’t believe his response and to tell the truth, neither could I. He probably had bigger fish to fry that day but he left and really never gave me much shit about it except I better find another job. I did. Bergner‘s on the same block on Adams Street.

The funny thing was after I began working at Bergner’s, I saw Bart again on the street at lunch. Somehow, he kept his job at the Sheet Music Company. Maybe it was the egg comments. We’ll never know.

Just another tale from the ORANGE ROOM.