1 00:00:01,440 --> 00:00:10,600 Speaker 1: Can'st play gound On this edition of the Taken a 2 00:00:10,640 --> 00:00:14,680 Speaker 1: Walk series. We're in the historic Roxbury section of Boston, 3 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:18,799 Speaker 1: lush history in the inner city, and I'm here to 4 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:22,160 Speaker 1: learn about this area from a new friend. His name 5 00:00:22,239 --> 00:00:26,240 Speaker 1: is Topper Carew an amazing resume as a film director 6 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:29,240 Speaker 1: and producer. He's got great stories to tell on the 7 00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 1: Taken a Walk series. He's also a principal investigator at 8 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:38,159 Speaker 1: the MIT Lab. I'm so excited to learn about this 9 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:41,560 Speaker 1: area of Lower Roxbury and to be taken a walk 10 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:49,000 Speaker 1: with Topper Career taking a walk with Buzsnight. Well, it's 11 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 1: so great to be taking a walk with you here 12 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 1: today in Lower Roxbury. You know, for me, one of 13 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:56,680 Speaker 1: the great joys of the Taken a Walk series is 14 00:00:56,800 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 1: meeting new friends, but also learning about areas that maybe 15 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:04,720 Speaker 1: I don't really feel like I'm as educated about. So 16 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:06,880 Speaker 1: I'm looking forward to taking a walk with you. It's 17 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 1: so nice to meet you. It's very nice to meet you, 18 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:12,080 Speaker 1: and thank you for taking this time. I like to 19 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:19,880 Speaker 1: start with fourteen Windsor Street. That's the place of my 20 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:25,200 Speaker 1: original home and as I said, it was the apartment 21 00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 1: building in which my grandmother lived and where I lived 22 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:36,840 Speaker 1: with my mother and her from oh from birth through 23 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: about the fifth or sixth grade. Now that apartment building, 24 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 1: unto itself, has an interesting story. It was four stories 25 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 1: and everybody knew everybody. I had even been at three 26 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:57,160 Speaker 1: fires in that apartment building. The most hilarious, if you 27 00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:01,400 Speaker 1: can think of fire as hilarious, was fire in the 28 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:06,800 Speaker 1: basement that had been started by a homeless person who 29 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:11,119 Speaker 1: at five o'clock every day used to cook pork shops 30 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:15,799 Speaker 1: and you would smell the aroma of that food coming 31 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 1: up through the hallway, and we nicknamed him pork Shop. Well, 32 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:26,200 Speaker 1: one day the frying pan caught on fire, and it 33 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:31,800 Speaker 1: caught his mattress on fire, and unfortunately, pork Shop got evicted. 34 00:02:32,919 --> 00:02:38,200 Speaker 1: Now this I could smell pork chops, smell you know, 35 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 1: it's it's it's it's I love food, and so you know, 36 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 1: everybody in that building loved food, and he obviously loved 37 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 1: food as well. So directly across from fourteen Windsor, which 38 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:54,520 Speaker 1: is now no longer there, it's a street over from 39 00:02:54,560 --> 00:03:01,360 Speaker 1: the Melnia Cass Boulevard, which was originally an urban renewal project. 40 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 1: So the whole neighborhood just got kind of wiped out 41 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:07,799 Speaker 1: and it's no longer there, but I drive through it 42 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:10,920 Speaker 1: all the time. Sometimes I walk through it because it 43 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:16,080 Speaker 1: has so many memories for me. Now ironically, it is 44 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 1: right across from the what was once the Robert good 45 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 1: Shaw Neighborhood House, and the irriity is I am presently 46 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:31,240 Speaker 1: making a film about the restoration of the Robert good 47 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 1: Shaw Memorial, which is downtown and across from the State House. 48 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 1: And what people should know is that's one of the 49 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 1: ten most popular and most visited monuments in the United States, 50 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:47,960 Speaker 1: and so it's been restored. And the history of that 51 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 1: is the Robert good Shaw Brigade was the first black 52 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: brigade to fight in the Civil War. These were free 53 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 1: men and formerly enslaved men who came together under the 54 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 1: aegis of Robert good Shaw, who was white and an aristocrat, 55 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 1: a Boston aristocrat, and they built a brigade of the 56 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:24,480 Speaker 1: fifty fourth Regiment and they participated in the Civil War struggle. 57 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:31,680 Speaker 1: That neighborhood house is where I went to nursery school. 58 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:35,640 Speaker 1: It's where I went to an after school program, and 59 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 1: it is the place where I, in fact did my 60 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 1: one and only stage appearance as tiny tim in the 61 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 1: Christmas Carol. So I think only one and only we're 62 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 1: on stage now, on stage now. But I will tell 63 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:02,400 Speaker 1: you that when I was a little boy, you know, 64 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:05,159 Speaker 1: and you know my mother had me when she was 65 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:08,039 Speaker 1: eighteen and my father got killed in the war, so 66 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:10,800 Speaker 1: you know, my mother would be out and about and 67 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 1: I would ask my grandmother if I could come and 68 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 1: get in her bed with her. And it is the birthplace. 69 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:26,159 Speaker 1: Winter Street is the birthplace of my writing interest, my 70 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:31,719 Speaker 1: writing connectivity, my storytelling, which has been the spine of 71 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:35,080 Speaker 1: my entire professional career. And this is how it used 72 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:37,839 Speaker 1: to work. I would say, Nana, can I come and 73 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:40,440 Speaker 1: get in bed with you? If my grandmother had the biggest, 74 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 1: fluffiest sheets, the softest pillows, the great covers, and I 75 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:49,160 Speaker 1: would get in bed with her and look across at 76 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 1: the nursery school at the Shaw House, and I would say, Nana, 77 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:54,599 Speaker 1: and I would tell her story and she would just 78 00:05:54,640 --> 00:05:58,039 Speaker 1: go M. Now she was sleep, she was hear with me, 79 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:01,559 Speaker 1: I say, and then it she said M. And so 80 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:04,480 Speaker 1: that was her greatest response. But that was the birth 81 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:08,760 Speaker 1: of my storyteller. So now let's go down to the 82 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 1: corner where Shahmad and Windsor intersect. Right there was the 83 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:24,400 Speaker 1: Twelfth Baptist Church. That is the church where doctor Martin 84 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 1: Luther King launched his ministerial career. It was pastored by 85 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:36,800 Speaker 1: Reverend Hester and uh, but that's where he learned to preach. 86 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:39,320 Speaker 1: Right at the right at the court. He was at 87 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:43,720 Speaker 1: Boston University as a divinity student, but he would come 88 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:48,920 Speaker 1: here to do his initial pastoral work. And that church 89 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 1: is now up on Warrant Street, But the original Twelfth 90 00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:58,800 Speaker 1: Baptist Church was right there. Unbelievable. Okay. Now at the oh, 91 00:06:58,839 --> 00:07:02,680 Speaker 1: by the way, I should mention at Revend Michael Haynes, 92 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:08,040 Speaker 1: who was a great monument to him built in Roxbury, 93 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 1: was the director of the Robert Goodshaw House. And mister Shelbourne, 94 00:07:16,160 --> 00:07:20,200 Speaker 1: who was the first black graduate graduate of Dartmouth College, 95 00:07:20,560 --> 00:07:24,160 Speaker 1: was the athletic director. So there's right there at that corner, 96 00:07:24,280 --> 00:07:28,520 Speaker 1: there's an abundance of history. In fact, right next door 97 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 1: to fourteen Winter at sixty were the Guscotts and Ken 98 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 1: Guscott built the tallest skyscraper in his day in downtown Boston. 99 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:45,000 Speaker 1: So that hub, that little hub right there was a 100 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:51,760 Speaker 1: very rich contributor to Boston and American history. So top, 101 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:54,760 Speaker 1: I have a question with your grandmother. Yeah, and this 102 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 1: was an appropriate time to stop and ask it. Yeah, 103 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:02,080 Speaker 1: did she ultimately know that you would continue to have 104 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:07,920 Speaker 1: this career as a storyteller or not? And what would 105 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 1: she be thinking? Now? Well, first of all, none of 106 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:15,560 Speaker 1: us knew, including me, but my grandmother would be very 107 00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:22,440 Speaker 1: proud of me. And I can tell you that the 108 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 1: apartment was the launch pad for so many tributaries of 109 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:31,400 Speaker 1: my family. And it would go like this. So my 110 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:33,880 Speaker 1: mother and I slept in one room. She was in 111 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:38,360 Speaker 1: another room. When my aunt uncle and their two children came, 112 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:42,400 Speaker 1: they slept in one room, and oh and three children. 113 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:45,120 Speaker 1: The girl slept with my grandmother and I slept in 114 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:47,320 Speaker 1: the den. By that time, my mother had moved on, 115 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:50,440 Speaker 1: she had remarried. There was a launch pad. It was 116 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:53,400 Speaker 1: you know, it became. And what was so interesting about 117 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:56,520 Speaker 1: life in Lower Roxbury was you never had a lock 118 00:08:56,640 --> 00:09:02,000 Speaker 1: your door. And there was one bath room with seven 119 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:07,720 Speaker 1: or eight people, and it never felt too small. Okay 120 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:10,520 Speaker 1: think about that now, yeah, think about that. It never 121 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:16,960 Speaker 1: felt too small. And in Lower Roxbury everybody knew everybody, everybody. 122 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:20,320 Speaker 1: If I was in another part of Lower Roxbury. Someone 123 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:22,719 Speaker 1: would throw up the window and say, top of does 124 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:26,040 Speaker 1: your mother know you're over here? And I better say yes, 125 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:29,200 Speaker 1: because if I said no, the answer would be you 126 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:33,480 Speaker 1: go home right now? Okay? Now, right there, right right 127 00:09:33,520 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 1: on the corner of Winter and Shaman, on one corner 128 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:45,680 Speaker 1: was a variety store that was owned by a Chinese 129 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 1: entrepreneur named Shorty. Now what would we do? We would 130 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:51,800 Speaker 1: go to that store. We would buy a penny candy, 131 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:54,760 Speaker 1: you get a little brown bag. You'd have a dime 132 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:57,960 Speaker 1: and you could almost fill that entire bag. There was 133 00:09:58,040 --> 00:10:02,520 Speaker 1: a coke like machine. It was like an ice box 134 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:05,600 Speaker 1: with a block of ice. When Coca Colas used to 135 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:08,120 Speaker 1: come in glass bottles and you could get one for 136 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 1: a nickel. You could get a pickle for a nickel, 137 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 1: or you can get a hard show crab for a nickel, 138 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:18,320 Speaker 1: pickle for a nickel, pickle for a nickel. It is 139 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:20,440 Speaker 1: a song. I mean, you know, it was a delight 140 00:10:20,520 --> 00:10:23,439 Speaker 1: to be a young kid with a dime to go 141 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:27,320 Speaker 1: into a store where a dime could buy you, you know, 142 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:33,840 Speaker 1: a whole delight, joy and a little brown bag. You know. Okay, 143 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:38,360 Speaker 1: So on the opposite corner, or should say this that uh. 144 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 1: It became to be a store owned by mister Williams, 145 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:47,280 Speaker 1: who continue that tradition. But he also had another very 146 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:52,160 Speaker 1: powerful tradition. That's where you would put in your policy numbers, 147 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:55,240 Speaker 1: you know, and play the numbers. So sometimes I used 148 00:10:55,240 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 1: to have to go down there with a dime wrapped 149 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:00,560 Speaker 1: in a little piece of paper with with the number 150 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:02,640 Speaker 1: on it. You know. The numbers were based on the 151 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:06,640 Speaker 1: last three digits of the treasury balance on that day, 152 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:09,320 Speaker 1: and they always appeared on the back of the record 153 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:12,679 Speaker 1: American and you could win money. So it was it 154 00:11:12,760 --> 00:11:15,680 Speaker 1: was basically gamble. But you call it the policy number. Yeah, 155 00:11:15,679 --> 00:11:17,160 Speaker 1: that's what the that's what the yeah, yeah, that's the 156 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:20,319 Speaker 1: numbers it was in that cartoon. Yeah yeah, oh yeah. 157 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:23,720 Speaker 1: And so now on the opposite corner, is that was 158 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:26,600 Speaker 1: it really in the cartoon or was that like like, 159 00:11:27,040 --> 00:11:29,920 Speaker 1: you know, well, is that just a tale? It is 160 00:11:29,920 --> 00:11:32,280 Speaker 1: that where I grew up, which is in Connecticut. Yeah, 161 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:36,480 Speaker 1: I remember reading the like the New York papers and 162 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:39,679 Speaker 1: my mother telling me exactly the fact that look at 163 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:42,319 Speaker 1: that cartoon, I think it was called Ching Chong or 164 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:44,560 Speaker 1: something like, yeah, yeah, and there's the number in there 165 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:47,160 Speaker 1: to play. Oh yeah, So that was Yeah, it was 166 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:49,480 Speaker 1: the numbers man. Okay, it's a big deal. It's a 167 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:53,680 Speaker 1: big deal. See now we are under no duress thinking 168 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:57,240 Speaker 1: there's some crime we committed back then. This is plus 169 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:01,679 Speaker 1: and we're worldwide with this podcast. Oh yeah, so oh 170 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:05,360 Speaker 1: everybody now knows. Yeah, well well this was this was 171 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:09,679 Speaker 1: pre lottery. This was the lottery, that's right, you know. 172 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:11,960 Speaker 1: And you could play for a dime, you could play 173 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:14,160 Speaker 1: for nic you could play for a penny. Go back 174 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:18,200 Speaker 1: into playing the number. So I would take it down, 175 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:21,320 Speaker 1: I would take I would my grandmother would wrap it 176 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:26,040 Speaker 1: up a coin with the with on a piece of paper. 177 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:28,320 Speaker 1: The number was written on the piece of paper. And 178 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:30,160 Speaker 1: I'd run down to the store and say, okay, this 179 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:34,880 Speaker 1: is my grandmother's right right. Okay. So on the opposite 180 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:38,880 Speaker 1: corner of Windsor and Shama, right across from the church, 181 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:44,840 Speaker 1: was Dolly's Market. Now Dolly Bolt had the meat market. 182 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:49,400 Speaker 1: And Dolly looked like a Buddha. He wore a white jacket, 183 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:53,000 Speaker 1: he wore a white apron. And everybody knew Dolly and 184 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:54,960 Speaker 1: people used to hang out in front of the store 185 00:12:55,520 --> 00:12:58,560 Speaker 1: and and it was have you. He lived in the 186 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:01,680 Speaker 1: Linux Street projects, which which are a bit of a 187 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:07,960 Speaker 1: ways down Shaman Avenue, which was, by the way, the 188 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 1: place where GI families middle class aspiring to be middle class. 189 00:13:14,200 --> 00:13:16,840 Speaker 1: We'd come back from the war, we're living and we 190 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:18,679 Speaker 1: used to go to parties in there. I mean, we 191 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:23,600 Speaker 1: used to play in there, and it was second world 192 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 1: second world Okay. So now continuing down Shaman Ave, uh, 193 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:36,880 Speaker 1: we're getting to Hammond and Shaman. On the corner of 194 00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:42,439 Speaker 1: Hammond and Shaman was Ma Dixon's. It was a soul 195 00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:48,040 Speaker 1: food home cooking restaurant, you know, with second hand furniture, 196 00:13:48,360 --> 00:13:51,760 Speaker 1: but with first hand food. I mean you could get 197 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:56,400 Speaker 1: all the stuff and she was like this legendary neighborhood 198 00:13:56,520 --> 00:13:59,320 Speaker 1: cook and you would go in there and you would 199 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:02,920 Speaker 1: get tradition Southern food, oh man, you know, and I 200 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:07,360 Speaker 1: mean it was just absolutely delicious. And then as we 201 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:12,680 Speaker 1: continue to walk and look about three doors down from 202 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:18,800 Speaker 1: our Dixon's was John's Chopped Suey. Now John's was you know, 203 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 1: at the basement level. You go in, you couldn't sit 204 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:25,720 Speaker 1: your disorder. What could you get. You could get a 205 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:29,800 Speaker 1: ten cent bag of French fries in a brown bag. 206 00:14:30,440 --> 00:14:32,880 Speaker 1: You could get a fifteen cent you could get a 207 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:36,520 Speaker 1: twenty cent, you could go up and nickel increments all 208 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:38,960 Speaker 1: the way to a dollar, and then you could get 209 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 1: a child main sandwich or a chopped Suey sandwich on 210 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:48,160 Speaker 1: a Hamburger bun for a dime. So with a ten 211 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:51,640 Speaker 1: cent bag of French fries, with a ten cent chow 212 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:55,960 Speaker 1: Maine sandwich, and with a Coca Cola after you finished that, 213 00:14:56,320 --> 00:14:58,080 Speaker 1: you would feel like you didn't need to eat for 214 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:02,840 Speaker 1: a week. No, by the way, is it would you 215 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:06,280 Speaker 1: be in agreement that they are no longer great French 216 00:15:06,280 --> 00:15:09,360 Speaker 1: fries anymore, that it's just that's a lost art. They're 217 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:13,440 Speaker 1: very hard to find. The best French fried place I've 218 00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:17,240 Speaker 1: found is in Portland, Maine, where they double cook them 219 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:20,520 Speaker 1: in duck fat and it's called duck fat oh, and 220 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:23,760 Speaker 1: they are unbelievable. And when I first started going there, 221 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 1: it was just a sore front. Now it's a sidewalk 222 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:31,280 Speaker 1: restaurant because people know those French fries. Those French fries 223 00:15:31,320 --> 00:15:34,040 Speaker 1: are legendary. I have not found a French fry in 224 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:37,680 Speaker 1: Boston to match it, and I'm a French fry connersole topper. 225 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:40,680 Speaker 1: I'm sensing a spin off on the Taking a Walk 226 00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:46,080 Speaker 1: series where we go off and eat restaurants and partake. 227 00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:49,000 Speaker 1: Oh anyway, sorry to take you on because I'm a 228 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:54,440 Speaker 1: food e man. Okay, So now let's continue our walk 229 00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:57,760 Speaker 1: and let's go up Hammond Street, which is the street 230 00:15:57,880 --> 00:16:02,200 Speaker 1: parallel to Windsor uh uh, We're coming to the Ace 231 00:16:02,280 --> 00:16:06,240 Speaker 1: of Gray School. That's where I went to kindergarten in 232 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:11,840 Speaker 1: first grade. My teachers Ms. Kramer and Miss Day, you know. 233 00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:16,080 Speaker 1: And uh right across from the school was another penny 234 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:20,080 Speaker 1: store place. So after school you go in and if 235 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:24,560 Speaker 1: you may remember, you could buy these strips of paper 236 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 1: that had these like little dots on sure, and you 237 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:32,520 Speaker 1: know the dots. You go in there for for two cents. 238 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 1: You get a strip of those dots and you kind 239 00:16:35,920 --> 00:16:38,440 Speaker 1: of bite them off of the paper. Yeah, and you know, 240 00:16:38,760 --> 00:16:41,600 Speaker 1: and you probably remember, you know, there was a there 241 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:45,000 Speaker 1: was a there were Hunts potato chips, Wise potato chips, 242 00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:47,800 Speaker 1: and this was another store where you could buy pickles. 243 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:50,920 Speaker 1: I'm coming, I'm going to my knees topper. When you're 244 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:53,200 Speaker 1: mentioned in the chips, oh man, you're getting me on 245 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:56,560 Speaker 1: the chips on the chips, the chips for factors. You know, 246 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:01,760 Speaker 1: these potato chips today, but nothing like those potato CITs 247 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:03,640 Speaker 1: that we had to speak in my language. You know 248 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 1: what I mean? Oh, I dropped to my knees literally anyway, 249 00:17:10,080 --> 00:17:15,040 Speaker 1: So as we continue down Hammond Street on past the 250 00:17:15,080 --> 00:17:18,439 Speaker 1: Ace of Grade School, we come to Tremont Street. On 251 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:24,040 Speaker 1: the corner of Tremont and Hammon is a restaurant called Slaves. Now, 252 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 1: what's so interesting about Lower Roxbury. When I was growing 253 00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:35,720 Speaker 1: up on Tremont Street, we had parades, we had three pharmacies, 254 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:41,240 Speaker 1: we had a dentist, we had two law firms. But 255 00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:47,760 Speaker 1: we also had Slaves, which was a chicken specialty place 256 00:17:48,359 --> 00:17:50,960 Speaker 1: where when you look in the window you see the 257 00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:55,639 Speaker 1: chefs working on the rotisseri. The chefs are dressed in 258 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:59,879 Speaker 1: white chef uniforms and they have a red hat on 259 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:03,280 Speaker 1: those tall red hats. And people would come from the 260 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:09,399 Speaker 1: suburbs because there was such a divine restaurant experience and 261 00:18:09,880 --> 00:18:14,680 Speaker 1: there was no fear of white suburbanites coming to Slaves. 262 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:18,680 Speaker 1: There was absolutely no fear. And then when you when 263 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:24,159 Speaker 1: you go further down on Tremont Street, there was a 264 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:27,880 Speaker 1: Stells which was a nightclub, a fine nightclub. And now 265 00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:31,960 Speaker 1: I know about those places when I was young because 266 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:33,920 Speaker 1: I used to hang out with my mother and I 267 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:36,399 Speaker 1: would I would sit on the bar stool and I 268 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:39,000 Speaker 1: would get a cup of tea and she would get 269 00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:41,480 Speaker 1: a high ball. In both of those places, so I 270 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:46,359 Speaker 1: came to know people who worked in those places. And 271 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:48,639 Speaker 1: then if you go a little farther down and you 272 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:57,120 Speaker 1: get to mass and Columbus, there was a nightclub called 273 00:18:57,119 --> 00:19:04,720 Speaker 1: the High Hat. Miles Davis, elephtch Gerald, Sarah, von Oscar Pedison, 274 00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:06,840 Speaker 1: they all used to come there and perform. Did you 275 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:08,960 Speaker 1: go there with your mother? I never see. I was 276 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:10,959 Speaker 1: too young because then you had to then you had 277 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:12,960 Speaker 1: to be twenty one to go. Yeah. Yeah, So I 278 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:16,720 Speaker 1: couldn't go in Wow. But if you continue down Hammond 279 00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:23,399 Speaker 1: Street down Davenport, you come to the Columbus Ballpark, which 280 00:19:23,480 --> 00:19:27,760 Speaker 1: is a place that all of the sports teams used 281 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:31,440 Speaker 1: to play, the local sports teams. But it was also 282 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:35,679 Speaker 1: a place where I would go with my paternal grandmother 283 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:39,399 Speaker 1: and we would pick dandelion greens and we would take 284 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:42,120 Speaker 1: them home to her house and we would cook them 285 00:19:42,119 --> 00:19:44,960 Speaker 1: and eat them like they were a delicacy. But if 286 00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:49,800 Speaker 1: you continued past the park and you go over the 287 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 1: bridge that goes over the train tracks, you're now suddenly 288 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:56,320 Speaker 1: on the other side of the tracks. And so my 289 00:19:56,520 --> 00:20:00,720 Speaker 1: maternal grandmother, from Windsor's Street, the thought that there was 290 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:05,320 Speaker 1: a life for me beyond Winnesor Street. So when it 291 00:20:05,359 --> 00:20:09,000 Speaker 1: came time to go to the fourth grade, because my 292 00:20:09,240 --> 00:20:14,480 Speaker 1: paternal grandparents lived near an area called Brigham Circle, they 293 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:17,840 Speaker 1: felt that that would be a better school situation for me. 294 00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:21,560 Speaker 1: So myself and two of my cousins were the first 295 00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:25,560 Speaker 1: black students in a school called the Farragut which was 296 00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:29,320 Speaker 1: a working class white school. And I can tell you 297 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:31,280 Speaker 1: that in the fifth grade. In the sixth grade, I 298 00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:34,679 Speaker 1: got black eyes because we integrated that school. But the 299 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:38,000 Speaker 1: other part of that experience that over the Bridge experience, 300 00:20:38,040 --> 00:20:40,359 Speaker 1: and that's why that bridge is so important to me. 301 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:46,600 Speaker 1: That's right off of Columbus Ave and goes across the tracks, 302 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:51,159 Speaker 1: right behind the New England Conservatory of Music. Because my 303 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:55,600 Speaker 1: grandmother took me to the Pops. They used to have 304 00:20:55,800 --> 00:21:00,240 Speaker 1: a black night at the Pops because in that day 305 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:03,640 Speaker 1: in time, the Pops was still segregated, so they had 306 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:06,560 Speaker 1: a black night. And there's a picture of me and 307 00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:10,240 Speaker 1: an old Ebony magazine which is floating around the family 308 00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:13,320 Speaker 1: somewhere where I'm a little boy reaching up to hold 309 00:21:13,359 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 1: my grandmother's hand. I have on a white short pants suit, 310 00:21:18,280 --> 00:21:21,560 Speaker 1: in white shoes and white knee socks. And it says 311 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:25,919 Speaker 1: Topper attends the Black Knight of the Pops with his grandmother. 312 00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:29,320 Speaker 1: So she was beginning to open up experiences for me. 313 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:33,480 Speaker 1: And then she would take me to Brighams. There was 314 00:21:33,520 --> 00:21:36,800 Speaker 1: a Brighams on Huntington Avenue, and that was like a treat. 315 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:41,120 Speaker 1: You're now getting the you know, ice cream delicacy from 316 00:21:41,119 --> 00:21:45,600 Speaker 1: a place called Brigham's. And then later in life, when 317 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:49,160 Speaker 1: I was a student at Boston Technical High School, when 318 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:52,040 Speaker 1: I used to play hooky from high school, I would 319 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:54,719 Speaker 1: go to the Uptown theater. And I should have known 320 00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:59,320 Speaker 1: that what I didn't know and what I didn't know 321 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:01,960 Speaker 1: that it would eventually end up in the film and 322 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:04,720 Speaker 1: television business as a writer. But I used to love 323 00:22:04,760 --> 00:22:08,200 Speaker 1: the movies, and in high school I only really loved 324 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:14,480 Speaker 1: two subjects, track and lunch. And there was nobody telling 325 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:17,840 Speaker 1: me that there was a bigger world out there until 326 00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:24,200 Speaker 1: a man named John O'Brien who came to Boston Technical 327 00:22:24,680 --> 00:22:29,600 Speaker 1: as a guidance counselor. The first guidance counselor told me 328 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:34,760 Speaker 1: also he was named O'Brien. The black one was named O'Brien. 329 00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:37,240 Speaker 1: The first one told me when I said I wanted 330 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 1: to go to college and wanted to go to Harvard, 331 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:42,720 Speaker 1: he said, I think you'd be better off going to 332 00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:45,360 Speaker 1: the Navy yard and be a sheet metal worker. Oh 333 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:48,960 Speaker 1: my god. Okay. And so my grandfather had always said 334 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:51,679 Speaker 1: to me, you're going to be somebody, but what are 335 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:55,000 Speaker 1: you going to be? And he taught me so much. 336 00:22:55,400 --> 00:23:01,159 Speaker 1: You know, we read Popular Mechanics, Popular Electronics, the Encyclopedia. 337 00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:05,280 Speaker 1: He wouldn't allow me to buy toys. We had to 338 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:09,280 Speaker 1: make them. And so I had it. And he made 339 00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:13,199 Speaker 1: me memorized the poem if by Rudyard Kipling. And so 340 00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:15,840 Speaker 1: when this guidance counsel the initial one said to me 341 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:19,840 Speaker 1: go to the navy yard, I'm thinking I got another 342 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:22,560 Speaker 1: drum that I'm watching too. So, as God would happen, 343 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:25,520 Speaker 1: three weeks later, John O'Brien appeared. He said to me, 344 00:23:25,560 --> 00:23:26,639 Speaker 1: what do you want to do. I want to go 345 00:23:26,640 --> 00:23:28,959 Speaker 1: to college. I want to go to Harvard. He said, well, 346 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:31,399 Speaker 1: I don't know your grades, but I can get you 347 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:36,480 Speaker 1: in the other age. The Black Harvard Howard University, and 348 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:40,320 Speaker 1: he saw something in me that I couldn't see in myself. 349 00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:44,200 Speaker 1: He said, you're a mystery to me. You're testing at 350 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:47,119 Speaker 1: the top of this test high school, you know, but 351 00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:49,040 Speaker 1: your grades don't prove it. I said, I don't like it. 352 00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:51,960 Speaker 1: I just don't like it. Nobody's saying to me, do this, 353 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:54,160 Speaker 1: do that. You can do this, or you can be 354 00:23:54,520 --> 00:23:58,400 Speaker 1: more than you can be. And I to this day 355 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 1: mentor his son. That's beautiful. I mentor his son and 356 00:24:03,480 --> 00:24:06,359 Speaker 1: his son. I'm not sure how old rich it is, 357 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:10,280 Speaker 1: but he runs an institute at Northeastern named after his father. 358 00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:14,200 Speaker 1: So I spend a fair amount of time with him. 359 00:24:14,600 --> 00:24:19,679 Speaker 1: And I was in a position to give John O'Bryant 360 00:24:19,760 --> 00:24:25,760 Speaker 1: when he became the first elected school board chairman. I 361 00:24:25,800 --> 00:24:29,200 Speaker 1: gave his first fund raiser, you know. So that's that's 362 00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:33,440 Speaker 1: the circle. That's the circle, because you know, if you give, 363 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:36,280 Speaker 1: you should receive, you know, and if you receive, you 364 00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:41,560 Speaker 1: should give. So you know. So anyway, so I love 365 00:24:42,240 --> 00:24:46,680 Speaker 1: Lower Roxbury. I think of myself as a son of Roxbury, 366 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:49,360 Speaker 1: you know. I think of that. And that's a very 367 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:53,960 Speaker 1: important thing for it was a very important thing for 368 00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:58,760 Speaker 1: my grandmother you know, the principal motivation for me graduating 369 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:07,080 Speaker 1: from college was not the achievement unto itself, but to 370 00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:11,240 Speaker 1: take my grandmothers, both of them, my aunt and my 371 00:25:11,280 --> 00:25:15,000 Speaker 1: mother in a limousine to Yale when I graduated, so 372 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:17,919 Speaker 1: they could see that. Yes, because I was the first 373 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:22,200 Speaker 1: one on my maternal grandmother's side to go to college, 374 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:28,159 Speaker 1: to graduate from college, it was common experience for my 375 00:25:28,280 --> 00:25:31,000 Speaker 1: father's family. And I should mention one last thing that 376 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:34,560 Speaker 1: I forget. Forgot to mention the Shaw House. The Robert 377 00:25:34,560 --> 00:25:37,560 Speaker 1: Goose Shaw House is also where my mother and father 378 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:41,960 Speaker 1: met and that's where they started dating, and so that 379 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:46,280 Speaker 1: also becomes a very significant place in my life. And 380 00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:49,840 Speaker 1: so this whole area that I've shared with you, I mean, 381 00:25:49,920 --> 00:25:54,480 Speaker 1: I could go on, but you know I have, in 382 00:25:55,280 --> 00:25:58,719 Speaker 1: a myriad of ways, managed to give back to that. 383 00:25:59,280 --> 00:26:02,760 Speaker 1: And the biggest thing that I've taken away from my 384 00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:13,960 Speaker 1: Roxbury experience is that love, family, friends, affirmation, cultural competency, 385 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:18,640 Speaker 1: and expectation are the things that helped me become who 386 00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:25,000 Speaker 1: I am. I'm stunned by your storytelling. First of all, 387 00:26:25,119 --> 00:26:27,960 Speaker 1: I love your storytelling and the essence of the Take 388 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:30,840 Speaker 1: and a Walk series is about the storytelling Yari and 389 00:26:31,040 --> 00:26:34,679 Speaker 1: about a particular location. You had so many projects in 390 00:26:34,720 --> 00:26:37,800 Speaker 1: your career. You're still active with your current project that 391 00:26:37,960 --> 00:26:41,320 Speaker 1: you talked about earlier. Are there any particular projects that 392 00:26:41,359 --> 00:26:44,920 Speaker 1: are your favorites or are they all like children and 393 00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:49,119 Speaker 1: they're all favorites. Well, let me say this to you. 394 00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:52,400 Speaker 1: First of all, I am pleased that you would think 395 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:55,960 Speaker 1: of me as a person who you might invite into 396 00:26:56,000 --> 00:26:59,800 Speaker 1: your experience. I appreciate that. Okay, I will talk a 397 00:27:00,320 --> 00:27:03,479 Speaker 1: project that is my most favorite project at the moment, 398 00:27:03,640 --> 00:27:07,879 Speaker 1: because you know, you know how it is being an artist. 399 00:27:08,400 --> 00:27:10,600 Speaker 1: After you finish the painting, you lean it up against 400 00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:13,040 Speaker 1: the wall, you know, and you move on. And you know, 401 00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:17,439 Speaker 1: I don't like to spend too much time drawing on 402 00:27:17,520 --> 00:27:20,320 Speaker 1: work that I've done in the past, even though you 403 00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:22,520 Speaker 1: know there are people who say, oh, you did that. 404 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:27,040 Speaker 1: But here's the thing that I'm most excited about. I 405 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:30,280 Speaker 1: have a project that I'm sending up to the International 406 00:27:30,320 --> 00:27:36,560 Speaker 1: Space Station and it's called This Little Light of Mine. Okay, 407 00:27:37,119 --> 00:27:40,840 Speaker 1: what is this Little Light of Mine? It will be 408 00:27:40,880 --> 00:27:44,800 Speaker 1: a payload, and in that payload, which is going to 409 00:27:44,840 --> 00:27:48,440 Speaker 1: the International Space Station, will be a film that I'm 410 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:53,760 Speaker 1: making about children singing This Little Light of Mine. This 411 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:59,159 Speaker 1: Little Light of Mine is a song that many people know, 412 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:06,440 Speaker 1: and the essence of what it will be will include 413 00:28:06,640 --> 00:28:12,280 Speaker 1: messages of love, peace and joy at a time in 414 00:28:12,359 --> 00:28:15,960 Speaker 1: the world when we need that right now, because the 415 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:22,400 Speaker 1: world in our nation has darkened. Okay, So this film 416 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:27,600 Speaker 1: will be broadcast back to Earth. There will be a website, 417 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:31,000 Speaker 1: and on that website, this Little Light of Mind website, 418 00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:36,359 Speaker 1: there will be a screen that will allow you to 419 00:28:36,560 --> 00:28:41,560 Speaker 1: track where the International Space Station is at any particular 420 00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:44,280 Speaker 1: moment in time, so you can go outside of your house, 421 00:28:44,600 --> 00:28:47,240 Speaker 1: look up and see it. There will be that light 422 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:51,080 Speaker 1: in the sky. It appears as the third brightest star 423 00:28:51,280 --> 00:28:55,160 Speaker 1: in the sky. Okay, And then you'll come back. You'll 424 00:28:55,200 --> 00:28:57,880 Speaker 1: go to your phone, you'll go to your pad, or 425 00:28:57,920 --> 00:29:02,520 Speaker 1: you will go to your and you will be able 426 00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:06,720 Speaker 1: to see in real time the song being broadcast back 427 00:29:06,800 --> 00:29:09,880 Speaker 1: to Earth as children sing it. It will circle the 428 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:15,560 Speaker 1: globe for a month and a half to two months 429 00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:19,520 Speaker 1: and putting this message, sending this message back to earth. 430 00:29:20,160 --> 00:29:25,440 Speaker 1: This is is totally philanthropic. It is not designed to 431 00:29:25,440 --> 00:29:29,040 Speaker 1: make money. Is this affiliated with your I T works? 432 00:29:29,080 --> 00:29:32,920 Speaker 1: This is me, This is me as a result of 433 00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:35,400 Speaker 1: of my mi I t work. I was, I was, 434 00:29:35,720 --> 00:29:40,920 Speaker 1: I was. The Chinese wanted me to come to China 435 00:29:41,400 --> 00:29:47,840 Speaker 1: to design a Mars colony. Uh and so during the 436 00:29:48,080 --> 00:29:50,600 Speaker 1: and I didn't because China is too far. That trip 437 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:55,280 Speaker 1: is punishing men. You know, I've gone, you know, I've 438 00:29:55,320 --> 00:29:58,000 Speaker 1: had the best way you could possibly travel, but it's 439 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:01,040 Speaker 1: just too long. And if I were younger, man, I 440 00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:03,640 Speaker 1: might have, you know, whether the trips. But at the 441 00:30:03,720 --> 00:30:05,480 Speaker 1: same time, I don't want to give all those secrets 442 00:30:05,520 --> 00:30:09,840 Speaker 1: to the Chinese community. You know, they got some issues 443 00:30:09,880 --> 00:30:15,560 Speaker 1: with the ploritarianism. Yes, and so the even though my 444 00:30:15,560 --> 00:30:17,920 Speaker 1: best friend in life has been Chinese, I got an 445 00:30:17,920 --> 00:30:22,640 Speaker 1: issue with the way they handle things. So as a 446 00:30:22,680 --> 00:30:26,240 Speaker 1: result of that, I met somebody who sends up payloads 447 00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:28,320 Speaker 1: and I mentioned it to him. He said, yeah, I 448 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:30,720 Speaker 1: would love that. So that's how it happens. Great. Yeah, 449 00:30:30,760 --> 00:30:33,000 Speaker 1: so it's gonna go up. It's scheduled right now to 450 00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:35,960 Speaker 1: go up on October first on an Elon Musk rocket. 451 00:30:36,080 --> 00:30:40,560 Speaker 1: Oh god. So the engineers in Texas are working with me, 452 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:43,360 Speaker 1: and the engineers in DC AT working with me, and 453 00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:46,320 Speaker 1: we can make this all happen. What a what a 454 00:30:46,360 --> 00:30:50,120 Speaker 1: great story. Thank you for sharing it. Thank you for 455 00:30:50,160 --> 00:30:57,160 Speaker 1: sharing a delightful walk here in Lower Roxbury. I'm gonna 456 00:30:58,160 --> 00:31:01,160 Speaker 1: coin a phrase here by a new friend of mine 457 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:03,240 Speaker 1: that I know is a phrase I have to let 458 00:31:03,320 --> 00:31:08,920 Speaker 1: all of this conversation marinate. Oh man, let me tell 459 00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:13,080 Speaker 1: you about the word of marination in my life. That 460 00:31:13,080 --> 00:31:19,880 Speaker 1: that was the one of the wisdoms that my maternal 461 00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:24,400 Speaker 1: grandmother laid on me. And she would say to me 462 00:31:24,600 --> 00:31:31,440 Speaker 1: whenever there was a decision that was deep, meaningful or whatever, 463 00:31:31,600 --> 00:31:36,240 Speaker 1: she would always say, well, let it marine, I believe 464 00:31:36,280 --> 00:31:38,200 Speaker 1: in that. We're I'm lead. You bought that. Oh that's 465 00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:42,440 Speaker 1: a powerful word top her career. Thank you for taking 466 00:31:42,440 --> 00:31:46,680 Speaker 1: a walk. I'm honored. Hey, listen, man, as I said, 467 00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:49,960 Speaker 1: I am. I wanted to do this because this is 468 00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:52,760 Speaker 1: the first time I've been able to tell this story 469 00:31:52,840 --> 00:31:55,960 Speaker 1: about this aspect of my life. It's beautiful. Thank you, 470 00:31:56,040 --> 00:32:01,440 Speaker 1: Thank you, all right, Godless. Take a Walk with Buzznight 471 00:32:01,840 --> 00:32:06,840 Speaker 1: is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get 472 00:32:06,840 --> 00:32:07,680 Speaker 1: your podcasts.