Uncle Tom –
Please add me to the long list of those you have helped in their journalism career. You sent me to the Dearborn Guide when I had nothing but a briefcase full of poetry I had written. I had no journalism training. Fortunately, Mr. Ross did not ask to see a sample of my writing. He hired me solely because I was your nephew. That, I now understand, is what they now call “privilege.” (I know there is a whole backstory re discrimination against Armenians etc. and we still can’t even figure out if we are “white” or something else but that is a discussion for another day.) I clearly remember that my first assignment was to go to the Inkster police station. I came back to the office and began my first-ever, real journalism story.
I wrote something like this: “On Tuesday night, two shadowy figures approached the B&B Liquor Store with bad intentions.” Mr. Ross walked up behind me at that point and asked “What is this?” I said two guys robbed a liquor store. He ripped the paper out of the typewriter, crumpled it and tossed it into the wastebasket. “We just do news stories here.” He left. I panicked. I called you. You said, “Don’t panic. Is there a paper there.” “Yes.” “Okay, find a robbery and just change the names and reword it.” That’s what I did. I spent maybe 20 years of my 30-year career in journalism of one kind or another. During a short four-year period, I racked up a dozen writing awards, including one from the National Newspaper Association. Journalism served me well and I feel I served the readers well. So thank you, Tom.
Also, your return happened as I was entering the sixth grade with a male teacher named Kazarov. Strange coincidence. Even at that point, I was already interested in history, Armenia, Sicily, Roman Empire etc. etc. (as are my siblings, to one degree or another). You wrote out the Russian alphabet for me on a paper lunch bag. I kept it for many years. I like the Russian people and have never understood why they can’t get their act together re democracy.
The few times you were ever around my teenage friends, some of whom were definitely jocks, you treated them with respect. There was that high school jock side of me, much better at football than basketball.
The enclosed photo was taken Christmas of 1971. I was already working at the Guide. I left Detroit about six months later. I always enjoy any conversation with you, Tom. Thanks for all you’ve given me.
Don