Memories of graduating in 1998 from USF in Joliet, IL near Chicago for a graduate degree in Health Services Administration ... interspersed with memories of travels with our boys, Michael Jordan, the Chicago Bulls, "The Last Dance, COVID-19, The Beatles, Hard Rock Cafe, perseverance!
Montage Pic: May, 1998: (L) Andrew, Keith, John Paul . MJ Restaurant, Chicago / Center – Keith University of St. Francis (USF) MHA Graduation / (R) Hard Rock Cafe (The Beatles depiction, Chicago.
As everyone is anxiously awaiting the start of “The Last Dance” series tonight on ESPN about Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls' last run on a double trifecta of NBA Championships (1991, 1992, 1993 … 1996, 1997, 1998) highlighting some never before behind the scenes footage from that 1998 championship year – that culminated in a back-to-back triumph in the NBA Finals (1997, 1998) over the Utah Jazz, I can't help but recall my trip to Joliet, Illinois in May, 1998 to celebrate my graduation from the University of St. Francis (USF) in their Masters of Health Service Administration Program!
I had done the curriculum for USF easily, as the courses were held weekly after work at the Baton Rouge General, where I had been working as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker on the Skilled Nursing Unit.
And it was so great to network with other health care professionals, such as nurses and therapists, at the BRG night classes locationwith folks from competing hospitals like OLOL, Ochsner and Lane to work together on improving the health status of the overall community.
After my graduation from USF in 1998, I was subsequently able to teach an Ethics Class to graduate students, so that was cool to be able to add to my resume!
I had never been to Chicago before then, so I asked my wife, Maria, for some advice about what to see there, since Joliet was just south of the Windy City!
Maria, who had just around then had our third child, John Paul, in September, 1997, was unfortunately unable to attend the graduation in late May, 1998 due to some health concerns, but she gave me some great advice about the great museums and other venues there, including a zoo for the boys, Andrew then 9 and John Paul (JP) just 6 months old. Our oldest child, Maria-Therese then 14, stayed with Mom to help her out with things.
So in late February, 1998, I began to do a lot of planning and thought it would be cool for us boys to catch Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls at the United Center for a game if possible during the time we would be up there in May. Maria had previously gone on her own with other diocesan teaching folks on a conference to Chicago, so she gave me some great tips for getting around there.
Well, after Andrew, JP and I got settled in a hotel in Joliet, I started looking into eventually going to a Bulls game at the United Center. I naively thought I could get a ticket for about $ 25 a piece, not having had the experience of having gone to many NO Saints games at the Superdome or to the former NO Jazz Basketball Team's games in the late 70's.
So, I unfortunately waited till the last moment and was on a tight budget, and was disappointed when I called the night I had planned on going to a game with the boys that I would have had to dish out ~ $ 75 a piece for “nose bleed” seats!
Fortunately, the person I called at the United Center mentioned about Michael Jordan's Steakhouse Restaurant that was in operation then – it apparently closed in 1999 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jordan%27s_Restaurant).
So while Andrew and I were disappointed (JP was only 6 months y/o, so he all he wanted was his bottle of milk – lol, see the montage pic!), it was great for Andrew and me to split a steak almost as good as Ruth's in Baton Rouge!
And we were also able to go to another “bucket-list” place on my list for that trip: the Hard Rock Cafe'! I was blessed to chance upon a replica of my all time fav rock group, The Beatles, there … see the pic in the montage!
Many of my fellow graduates, especially the women, were impressed that I, a guy would take a six month old and a 9 year old on his own to a graduation, so I got some undeserved adulation! See a pic of me with my graduation wardrobe and the boys attached to the montage.
Let me end with one of the many great quotes from MJ that certainly applies to all of us dealing with COVID-19:
“Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”
Other great MJ quotes: https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/michael-jordan-quotes
Keith John Paul Horcasitas, LCSW, MHA, 1133 Knollhaven Drive, LA 70810, khorcasitas.yahoo.com, April 19, 2020.
I never acquired a taste for basketball although I played basketball in school. So I'm not hyped about the last dance. My primary memory of Michael Jordan is the trip his father took in his new car from the South, perhaps to Chicago and stopped along the road, a habit he acquired when motels would not take black people, to sleep in his car. His car was hijacked that he was killed by two young thugs. I slept in my car many times in my youth. What a dastardly thing to do!
I have always found Chicago to be an old, rusty city with a lot of ethnic prejudice. But they do rally around their sports teams. That's why they like to, "Escape to Wisconsin," for summer fun or winter sports.
It's good that your son was okay, if not happy, with the cafés over going to the game.
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Montage Pic: May, 1998: (L) Andrew, Keith, John Paul . MJ Restaurant, Chicago / Center – Keith University of St. Francis (USF) MHA Graduation / (R) Hard Rock Cafe (The Beatles depiction, Chicago.
