1935 leaving home

He was only 16 when he left home. Popo cried and cried. Owen’s parents had a big buick. We went to Diamond Head, watched the boat go by.

~ Joe Young

..........

Our mom didn’t know how to send him money in the mail, so he worked at a Chicago country club at the fountain, making fountain drinks. He used to work with a Filipino man who showed him how to do it.

He used to tell me that Chicago was scary, a gangster town. That was in 1938-39, and he was 17-18 years old.

~ Amy Chann

..........

He applied to IIT. Went there and took up engineering. He wrestled for the team without telling our parents, and broke a rib. One summer he came home with a boxing glove made out of lead. He boxed in the Golden Glove Award. He said it was murder in Chicago and he got beaten. If you're 2nd, you get silver, 3rd, you get bronze. If you lose, you get lead.

~ Joe Young

© 2002 CKYoung Design