Thursday, June 15, 2006

Hyde Park Murder

Robbers shot and killed 26-year-old Corey Ebenezer, the manager of Leona's restaurant on 53rd Street in Hyde Park this Thursday morning, June 15, 2006. I discussed it with Roni, the best-dressed Mexican waiter at Pizza Capri and George Rumsey the president of the Hyde Park Kenwood Community Conference. Everyone is upset.
While my boys and I were eating our slices at Choli's pizza on 53rd Street, I mentioned it to an elderly aide from Bret Harte school who shared our table. My four-year-old son Benjamin asked what we were talking about. I didn't tell him. He's afraid of the book "Three Billy Goats Gruff." He's going through a lot of tranistions. His schools are finished. He's just spending one week at Hyde Park Art Center's Creativity Camp and then it's on to Hyde Park Jewish Community Center camp. We went to the open house tonight at the JCC. Benjamin was close to tears.
"Don't sign me up," he pleaded. "I just want to stay home with you and cook and bake and do projects."
"Liar," I thought. "All you want to do at home is watch TV."
JCC camp looks really fun to me. They have day camping down to a science.
Because of all this turbulance Benjamin's wetting his bed almost every night.
Telling him someone was shot and killed in the neighborhood is too much for a four-year-old, although it may be harsh realities for other four-year-olds, like the children of the Leona's manager. It's so sad to read that Ebenezer had a 5-day-old baby.
Funny, the theme of the Chicago Public Library summer reading program is ancient Egypt because of the King Tut exhibit at the Field musuem. We signed up at the Blackstone Library today. We were perusing a pop-up book on mummies.
Lot's of death there. Is it really apropriate subjects for children? It's treated in a light manner but sometimes it's too scary.
I didn't go near Leona's today, though I meant to bike by. Life is normal with the kids out of school and summer in full swing, but somewhat jittery here in Hyde Park.

1 Comments:

At 4:39 PM, Blogger kawnipi said...

I think we are all feeling a bit jittery and vulnerable. It would be nice for your kids to just enjoy a hot but innocent summer.

 

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