A Blog for the 1960's Classes of Morgan Park High School (EMPEHI) in Chicago
You can reach all of our links at empehi.blogspot.com
he CIA team assembled for Operation Desert Shield was a diverse group, each member distinguished by their unique skills and backgrounds:
Randy The Lam - A tech-savvy genius, Randy always wore a hoodie and glasses, his fingers dancing across keyboards as he monitored digital threats. His desk was cluttered with multiple screens displaying real-time data and social media feeds.
Tony the Visser - A rugged field agent with a military haircut and a no-nonsense demeanor, Tony's sharp blue eyes scanned maps and satellite images, always ready for action. He wore tactical gear, a testament to his years of experience in the field.
Judy The Willingham - The analytical brain of the team, Judy was known for her meticulous attention to detail. Often seen in blazers and glasses, she carried a laptop filled with patterns and connections that could crack any case wide open.
Allen Carlson - The operations chief, Allen had a commanding presence, often dressed in smart casual attire. He was the glue holding the team together, with a strategic mind that guided their every move.
April Lais Wolf - With a knack for languages, April was youthful and vibrant, often sporting colorful scarves. She spent hours deciphering intercepted communications, her keen ear catching nuances that others might miss.
Bob Hendry - The logistics expert, Bob wore practical clothing and had a friendly smile. His ability to coordinate resources ensured the team had everything they needed, from supplies to transportation.
Barb Schults - A field operative with a no-nonsense attitude, Barb was tough as nails. Clad in combat-ready attire, she was fearless and resourceful, capable of blending into any environment.
Carl Walesa - Partnered with Barb, Carl was the team's reconnaissance specialist. He had an adventurous spirit, often dressed for the field, with a camera always ready to capture vital intel.
Dave Innes - The veteran analyst, Dave had a calm demeanor and wore glasses that added to his scholarly appearance. He was the one the team turned to for insights and strategic advice.
John Meeks - A tech and operations expert, John was approachable yet serious when it came to mission details. He often wore practical attire, ready to engage in any tactical discussions.
Chuck Kuenneth - The cybersecurity specialist, Chuck was usually seen in casual wear, his fingers perpetually busy on his laptop. His expertise kept the team ahead of any digital threats.
James Huff - The sniper of the team, James had a rugged look with an intense gaze. Often dressed in tactical gear, he was calm and focused, trained to handle high-stakes situations.
Janet The Zin - The strategist, Janet was the team’s brain trust. With her sharp intellect, she was often seen in professional attire, leading discussions with clarity and confidence.
The team was a blend of intellect, experience, and determination, united by a common goal to stop terrorism in Libya. Each member brought their strengths to the table, creating a formidable force ready to tackle any challenge that lay ahead.
This short story and cartoon were created by the Artificial Intelligence program chatgpt.com. I dictated the bold text, and some of the spellings are incorrect and humorous. I let them stay. I don't know how it knew Taffy was a mystery writer - AI is scary smart. But it did not have the backgrounds of others. This all took about 10 seconds - but it is the thought that counts. I thought we looked pretty good in the cartoon.
Write a short story starring Pete Terry, Mariana Bartle, Craig Hellinger, Taffy Cannon, Will Hepburn, Ron Veenstra, Ron McComb, Marie Booty. They're all graduates of Morgan Park High School in 1966. They get together for a 60-year reunion. Craig Hellinger is murdered, and you need to figure out who did it.
A Reunion to Remember
The 60-year reunion of Morgan Park High School’s Class of 1966 was a spectacle of nostalgia. The grand ballroom of the Lakeside Hotel sparkled with balloons in the school colors of red and white, and a jazz band played soft tunes that transported the guests back to their teenage years.
Pete Terry, now a retired journalist, sipped his whiskey while observing the room. He still had the sharp eyes that had earned him accolades for uncovering political scandals. Mariana Bartle, a former actress with silver-streaked hair, joined him. "Pete, you look like you’re solving a case," she teased.
"Old habits," Pete replied, grinning. "Who would’ve thought we’d all make it to 60 years after graduation?"
Across the room, Craig Hellinger, once the class clown and now a wealthy real estate magnate, held court. His booming laugh echoed, but his jokes were cutting, and his arrogance hadn’t mellowed with age. He clinked glasses with Taffy Cannon, an author of true crime novels, who seemed more interested in observing than participating.
Will Hepburn, a retired surgeon, chatted with Marie Booty, a former cheerleader who had become a philanthropist. Nearby, Ron Veenstra and Ron McComb, old football buddies, were reminiscing about their glory days.
But the reunion turned dark after dinner. Pete found Craig slumped over in his chair, his drink spilling onto the table. His face was pale, his body lifeless. The room erupted in gasps and whispers.
Pete’s journalist instincts kicked in. “No one leaves until we figure this out,” he announced.
The Investigation
The police arrived but were happy to let Pete help. After all, he’d solved tougher puzzles before.
Mariana whispered to Pete, “Craig wasn’t popular tonight. Did you hear him insulting everyone?”
“He had a way of making enemies,” Pete agreed. “But who hated him enough to kill him?”
They interviewed the group.
Taffy Cannon was calm. “Craig always knew how to provoke people. He bragged about swindling someone in a property deal tonight.”
Will Hepburn frowned. “He mocked me for retiring early. Said I lost my edge.”
Marie Booty looked shaken. “He said some horrible things about my charity work, accused me of being fake.”
Ron Veenstra and Ron McComb exchanged glances. “Craig humiliated us in high school,” Ron McComb admitted. “And tonight, he brought it up again.”
Mariana chimed in, “He wasn’t kind to me either. He laughed at my acting career and called me a has-been.”
Pete examined Craig’s glass. There was a faint residue on the rim. “Poison,” he muttered.
The Reveal
By the next morning, Pete had pieced it together. He called everyone into the lounge.
“Craig was poisoned, and the culprit is in this room.” He looked around. “He made a career of stepping on others, and last night, he paid the price.”
Pete’s gaze landed on Taffy Cannon. “You wrote about poisons in one of your books, didn’t you, Taffy?”
Taffy’s face was calm. “Yes, but I’m not the only one who knew about them.”
Pete nodded. “True. But you’re the only one who had the opportunity. When the waiter brought Craig’s drink, you were the last one near his table.”
Taffy sighed. “He ruined my brother’s business years ago. Bragged about it last night, like it was a joke. I couldn’t let him get away with it.”
The police led Taffy away as the others sat in stunned silence.
Mariana whispered to Pete, “I don’t know whether to be relieved or terrified.”
“Both,” Pete said. “The past has a way of catching up to people. Craig just didn’t see it coming.”
______________
ChatGPT said:
A Reunion to Remember
The 60-year reunion of Morgan Park High School’s Class of 1966 was in full swing in the grand ballroom of the Lakeside Hotel. Nostalgia buzzed in the air, with a live jazz band playing classics and a slideshow of old photos casting memories on the wall. Pete Terry, retired journalist, stood with Mariana Bartle, a former actress, observing their classmates mingling.
“Feels strange seeing everyone this old,” Mariana said, adjusting a pearl necklace.
“Speak for yourself,” Pete quipped, sipping whiskey. “I’m still in my prime.”
Craig Hellinger, once the class clown and now a wealthy real estate magnate, was holding court at a central table. His booming laughter filled the room, but his jokes were sharp-edged, often cutting others down. Across the room, Will Hepburn, a retired surgeon, quietly conversed with Marie Booty, a philanthropist. Ron Veenstra and Ron McComb, old football buddies, reminisced about their glory days over beers.
Taffy Cannon, a mystery author, leaned against the bar, watching the room with a writer’s curiosity. “Craig’s bound to make trouble,” she murmured to Pete as Craig toasted himself loudly.
Trouble came after dinner. Craig was found slumped over at his table, his drink spilled and his face pale. The room fell into chaos, but Pete’s sharp eyes caught something: Craig’s glass had a faint residue on the rim.
“Poison,” Pete muttered.
The police arrived, bringing two seasoned detectives with them: Sandy “The Shoe” Johnson, a sharp-dressed investigator with a penchant for pacing, and Suzy “The Wig” Daniels, whose towering beehive hairdo concealed a mind as sharp as her nails.
The Investigation Begins
Detectives Sandy and Suzy took charge of the room, their personalities as bold as their appearances.
“Alright, folks,” Sandy said, tapping his shiny leather shoes. “Nobody’s leaving until we figure out who wanted Craig dead.”
“And from what I’ve heard, that could be just about anyone,” Suzy added, her exaggerated eyeliner narrowing in on the guests.
Pete stepped up. “I’d like to help. Craig had a habit of making enemies, and tonight, he was in rare form.”
Suzy arched an eyebrow. “We’ll take all the help we can get. Start talking.”
The group was interrogated one by one.
Sandy tapped his chin. “Someone’s lying. The residue on the glass didn’t get there by accident.”
Suzy’s eyes gleamed. “What about the bar? Who handled his drink last?”
The Truth Comes Out
Piecing the clues together, Pete, Sandy, and Suzy retraced Craig’s steps. It was Suzy who noticed a critical detail: the bartender mentioned seeing Taffy linger near Craig’s table after delivering his drink.
“Taffy,” Suzy said, her voice sharp, “you’ve written about poisons in your books. And you were the last one near Craig before he drank.”
Taffy’s calm façade cracked. “He ruined my brother’s life. Bankrupted him and laughed about it. I wanted justice.”
Sandy crossed his arms. “You mean revenge. Justice comes with handcuffs.”
Taffy was escorted out, leaving the room in stunned silence.
Aftermath
As the crowd dispersed, Mariana turned to Pete. “Well, at least Craig managed to bring the drama one last time.”
“And us? We’re not so different from the detectives,” Pete said, nodding toward Sandy and Suzy, who were already deep in another case.
“Speak for yourself,” Mariana replied, smirking. “I’m more of a leading lady than a gumshoe.”
Pete laughed. “Fair enough. But if trouble ever strikes again, I’ll call The Wig and The Shoe—and maybe you, too.”
Prentiss Granger and Laurel Hollingsworth grew up privileged in the South, met in private school and became best friends. Through the political upheaval of the 1960s, the two young women grapple with their own beliefs as the civil rights and antiwar movements explode around them. Then, in a single irrevocable moment of violence, everything changes. Caught at the wrong place at the wrong time, Prentiss finds herself on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List and trapped in the political underground. Laurel must balance her own convictions as she struggles to help her lost friend while she moves forward with her own life.
“Convictions is brilliant … a beautifully controlled piece of writing, intricately plotted and skillfully paced. It is a novel of substance, a thoughtful portrayal of an important part of American history. And it is entertaining and exciting to read.”
—Raleigh News and Observer
“This first novel succeeds admirably in capturing the mood and feel of the sixties. Its narrator is well-developed as a flesh-and-blood, humorous, and self-deprecating commentator.”
—Publishers Weekly
“The life of Prentiss Granger is a metaphor, a picture of the soul of the times…. Convictions is well-written and evenly paced, and sometimes very funny.”
—United Press International
“Cannon is at her strongest in evoking the Grand Canyon-wide gap between parents and their rebellious off spring, with a compelling sense of place.”
—Los Angeles Times
“Taffy Cannon shows the seething discontent and the ferment in the 1960s that led to fundamental changes in American society.”
—Chattanooga Times
"Very interesting way to look at the turbulent sixties. A page turner. I really enjoyed reading it. Entertaining." —Craig Hullinger
Click to read more and to purchase Taffy's books:
taffycannon.com/fiction/convictions
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Reading this book was a trip down memory lane. It recounts all the big events of the day. And of course made you think about which events you saw.
The JFK assassination was of course a major memory for all of us, and we all remember when it happened. I was in Doc Watson's chemistry class when Doc confirmed that he died.
The civil rights marches galvanized public opinion and changed many minds. Race relations needed improvement. I did my little bit for a year after high school in 1966 in the inner city of Norfolk. VA. popv.blogspot.com
The cold war was a huge issue. The Communist countries were threatening. The threat of nuclear war was very real.
Vietnam and the antiwar movement were major issues that the book addresses. Each one of us had to decide the correct course of action.
The race riots were also disturbing. I was stationed in Yuma, Arizona, in 1967 and we were preparing for both Vietnam and riot duty. We were set to go to San Francisco. Our training for riot duty consisted of wearing gas masks and marching in close ranks with our bayonets fixed on our rifles. You could not wear glasses with the gas mask, so I was blind as a bat. And the tear gas was nasty. Glad we did not have to do that.
The heroines of the book go to Berkeley in the San Francisco area. You will remember the appeal of the bay area during the days of peace and love. My friend and I drove from Yuma to San Francisco one long weekend. We went to the epicenter at Haight-Ashbury. But it was sad. Many kids strung out.
The book takes us to the major peace demonstration in 1969 in Washington, DC.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moratorium_to_End_the_War_in_Vietnam#
I went there with three other Marine Lieutenants. I didn't even know about it - one of the guys said let's go, so four of us did. We did not know what to expect - four very short haired and very fit Marines at a peace demonstration. But it was a very mellow event. I guess we all wanted peace - with different ideas on how to achieve it.
Vietnam was of course the big issue for all of us, whether we fought it, protested against it or avoided it.
This book is a great read, and reminds you of all the "fun" times of our youth. I highly recommend it.
Craig Hullinger
