…My conversation with John over coffee was enlightening. I didn’t know at the time that Community Colleges offered more than a Liberal Arts Degree. My curiosity was getting the best of me and I needed to find out. I ended up calling several community colleges and found out John was absolutely correct. They offered a number of certification programs that didn’t need a degree. I was surprised by the amount and diversity. All the trades were represented: Heating and Cooling HVAC, Electrical, Carpentry, Plumbing, and CNC Machining. Then on the Health Care side: Certification in Respiratory Therapy, and Xray Technology were attainable. The programs usually went for a year and the students would serve an apprenticeship as well. I didn’t know they existed. I would use this knowledge much later in my career as a teacher in the MDOC.
… For the next couple of weeks I didn’t get a chance to run into John. I was arriving at the medical center after the contractors were already finished for the day. My boss left a punch list of the things I needed to check and sign off on. However, I did run into my brother Greg and he gave me an earful of what was happening in Detroit’s Redlight District. It seemed that Cass Corridor had a serial killer. He was preying on the ladies of the evening. They even called him the “Cass Corridor Ripper,” and “Bigfoot!” My brother informed me that a woman who survived one of his attacks was treated in the Emergency Room and he was one of the orderlies that attended to her. Her description of her attacker was that he was a tall African-American, with large hands and large feet. She said he stood at least 6’5″ tall and she escaped from him after he raped her. She was lucky to escape.
…If that wasn’t enough, my brother informed me that the immediate community had enough of Anderson Gardens and the Willis Show Bar shenanigans. They started writing down the license plates of the cars that were frequenting those establishments and submitting them to the Detroit News for publication. They were going to publish them on the front page of the newspaper. The clergy in the immediate community were leading the charge. They obviously wanted to upset the customers. The Detroit City Council supported the effort as well. Everyone was on edge with a serial killer on the loose. A brutal one at that. At the time, they believed he killed 3 other women. There would be more.
… My brother, who always made fun of my car, “A Deuce and a Quarter.” Buick 225 Electra, asked if I had been there lately? I couldn’t stop laughing. “Man, you just never let up. It’s not a pimp mobile. I can’t help it that the brothers love this style of car too. It came fully loaded with all kind of extras. I put air shocks on the back and bought rear stock tires. It has a 455HP engine, 4 barrel carburetor, and will beat that puny- 318 HP- Dodge Charger you drive everyday of the week. Besides, you will not see my license plate in the Detroit News. However, I will be looking for yours.” He started laughing and told me not to – wear my heart- on my sleeve. I was being overly sensitive!” That was my brother. He was a year and a half younger than me but much more street wise. I chalked that up to his working in the Emergency Room of a major urban medical center and our shared life experiences. …………My Life’s Journey To Be Continued………. Hebrews 1: 1-14
