Saturday, May 17, 2014

Day 20- Sunny but very cool

Updating journal today.

Will go to Kohl's Grocery store on the riverfront to buy some bread and other essentials for Monica. I feel guilty eating for free for 10 days!

Kohls is a wholesale grocery store open to the public without requiring an annual fee. Jim Burns took me there yesterday. Its a great store where you can buy in bulk. They have meat, durables and perishables. Kohls have wholesale customers in IL, IN, IA and MO.

Will begin writing third article for my weekly column for the Morton Times today.  Will attend a graduation party for Jan's daughter today st 430p. Jim Burns taking me. Had an invite to attend a 430p Mass at St Frances from the Bickhaus family but due to the graduation party cannot attend Mass with them unfortunately!

Jim Burns took me to lunch yesterday at the Washington Perk Cafe. He told stories of growing up on the tough south side of Chicago during the 50s and about the gangland wars and fighting he took part in. To escape that lifestyle he joined the Brotherhood a Catholic order. He traveled around the country building schools for 13 days. He took vows of chastity and poverty.

He later left the Brotherhood moved to Quincy where he worked in Student Services at the local university.

At age 25 a friend of his wanted to bike from Quincy to Denver and asked Jim to join him; but, Jim refused because of obligations and has regretted it ever since. His now late friend always looked back to those fun and very difficult days with great fondness.

Jim is 100% Irish. Both sets of grandparents immigrated from the Emerald Island to America and Jim later became a dual citizen. So along with his US passport he carries an Irish passport as well. Jim looks the classical caricature of an Irish gentleman.

Jim's generous nature led him to hand me $50 for my trip. Told him I can live s week on that!

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