Kodachrome They Give Us those Nice Bright Colors They Gives Us the Greens of Summer Makes You Think All the World's a Sunny Day

Charlene was my first girlfriend. I will always have a special place in my heart for her.

Kodachrome by Paul Simon

When I think back

On all the crap I learned in high school
It's a wonder
I can think at all
And though my lack of education
Hasn't hurt me none
I can read the writing on the wall

Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, Oh yeah
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama don't take my Kodachrome away

If you took all the girls I knew
When I was single
And brought them all together for one night
I know they'd never match
my sweet imagination
And everything looks worse in black and white

Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, Oh yeah
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama don't take my Kodachrome away


Charlene and I met at Hawthorne Playground in the sixties. She lived across the street with her sister, brother, and father. Her father was a writer. Her mother had passed away. Charlene's sister Lucy used to bring down notes to me. Charlene wanted to grow up and be a lawyer. I hoped she is happy now and in good health.




That's not Tommy. That's me in front of my Chevy. That's our house on Albany.




Mary and how she looked when she worked as a Bunny in a Rush Street nightclub.




Pat and Randy. They were friends. Chuck and I were friends. We double dated a lot.




Jimmy wearing my Wright College jacket. Jimmy went in the army and later became a Chicago policeman. He was at the Democratic Convention in 1968.



I had curly hair and I tried all my life to keep it straight. Now I don't have to worry about that.



I dated Gail for several months. She was a very nice person. Her sons.... that was a different matter. Tommy came home unexpected one day from school while we were getting to know each other better. Oooops, be a good role model.




Chris was a French-Canadian girl I met in Montreal on a business trip. We were almost married. It was not meant to be Mon Sherie.  It was a whirlwind romance, very short lived.




This picture was taken while we visited Wildwood, New Jersey. A guy at a gas station said, "take it easy." Chris had no idea what he meant.




Chris raced me down the beach. She thought she was faster. Not a chance. Before leaving Chicago my boss Ed Agnew reminded me that during the day I was representing Jewel Food Stores. I responded, yes, but at night I'm representing the United States.