Knot My Line

In the early sixties I worked for a company in Chicago “Recording & Statistical”.  Our company provided business data processing services to companies in the Chicago area.  We had just gotten our new mainframe computer, a Burroughs computer.  Our software consultant from Burroughs was a man named Rudy Glover.  I was one of the project managers /programmers and had several clients that my staff and I were converting to the new computer.  Rudy guided me through the maze that always is new hardware/software and in the process, we became close friends.

For the better part of the next 15 years, our lives were almost a mirror parallel of each other.  Rudy got married, I got married, Phyllis & I had a baby girl, Rudy & Audrey had a baby girl, Rudy bought a house, I bought a house, Phyllis & I adopted a son, so did the Glovers, Randy, etc. etc. etc.  We celebrated birthdays, holidays and we were at each others homes on a regular basis.  My kids and their kids saw each other more often then many of their cousins.  I got so I could drive to their home at 8000 South Euclid on automatic pilot and my family and I were as comfortable there as at our own home.  I think the same was true for them.

Early in April of 1968 Rudy was on business for his company in Detroit.  On the 4th, Audrey brought Coco to the far north side where we lived for a visit.  We were enjoying a very pleasant visit when the news came that Dr. King had been assassinated.  Chicago, Detroit and cities across America erupted.  We spoke with Rudy, he was in his hotel and was not leaving.  At that time I did not have a car, so in Rudy’s absence I became Audrey’s escort home.  We went to the elevated station near our apartment and took the train all the way to the far south side where they lived.  Audrey was smart, when we passed through the center of the city she passed Coco over to me and said she was getting heavy.  I carried her from that point.  Later Rudy told me that was her way of showing anyone that might take offence to me that I was okay.  We got off of the train and walked the nearly 3 blocks to their apartment where she promptly called several neighborhood young men we had met at their home before.  Larry, Michael and Shell came and accompanied me back to the el station and made sure I was safely on the train back home.

In 1970 Phyllis & I adopted a son of mixed ancestry, Jason.  For the lily white suburb we lived in this was a shock and we had crosses burnt on our lawn.  When Rudy heard this, he brought his entire family including all of the young men we knew.  They and my two wonderful neighbors played catch football out on the front lawn all afternoon in a show of solidarity.  These also neighbors walked the entire circle of 30 homes where we lived and told everyone there of the burnt crosses and that they would be watching and protecting us from any further incidents.  We were never bothered there again.

In the early 70’s Phyllis & I divorced.  I still continued to see Rudy and his family on a regular basis.  In !978 I married Anita and Rudy came to my wedding. Here are Rudy, Anita’s father Vince, My brother Max and I at our house in Skokie following the ceremony. 

A year later I moved to southern California.  In the years following whenever I was in or passing through Chicago I would meet with Rudy.  Sometime I had time and drove to his house and got to see the family, but that happened less and less as my visits became short and sporadic.  Rudy came to Los Angeles several times and I also got to see him there.  By this time although our affection for each other had not changed, we seemed to only share the surface details of work and family.  The intimate details of feelings, emotions, problems and issues were glossed over.  I missed that part of our relationship.

In the 80’s Rudy and Audrey went to Las Vegas several times for New Year’s.  Anita & I joined them and had a great time.

Here are Rudy & Audrey at the party!

In the 1993 my son Jason was murdered.  I returned to Chicago for the funeral and again for the subsequent trial of his murderer.  Each time I got to visit with with Rudy & Audrey.  I think the last time I saw Audrey was at the funeral, but I was so traumatized that I really can’t remember much.

Years later, I was in Mesa, visiting mom when she was in the hospital.  Checking my phone messages at home, I had a message from two days earlier from Rudy, he wanted me to call back because he had a favor to ask.  When I called the next morning, I found out he had committed suicide. I still have enormous guilt from that.  I feel that had I been there at that time he would still be with us.  I sill bawl like a baby when I recall all that.

Rudy will always be in my heart.   He was a brother in life and a dear and cherished friend.