Farewell dear Ypsi

Alas friends and neighbors, at some point Tuesday or Wednesday my part in this grand experiment known as The Ypsi City Desk will end. Johnny is off with Mrs Johnny (who has already blazed a trail on ahead) to Jersey City New Jersey. As of early Friday morning my wagon heads east.

I came to this town one damned cold December 1st 1982. I hitchhiked down from sleepy Ortonville to register for classes at EMU and loved what I found here and set up shop. I remember almost being out of second chances when I came here, I also vividly remember sitting right outside of Pierce Hall on a cement bench, in a tiny little sitting area to keep out of the wind and cold that was whistling around me at 4 and 5 and then 6 am. It always made me feel good knowing I could always see the blinking red light on Pierce Hall out my bedroom window, the same blinking red light that flashed over my head that cold December morning. At some point you stake your claim and try to make good your life's dreams and aspirations and I've quite happily made mine here, in Ypsilanti. To my fellow Ypsi residents, there may be times for whatever reason you say "I hate this stupid town" or "This place sucks", I understand that, we all feel that way about our towns at some point. Just understand the next time you do say it, there's somebody out there who misses this great community. Somebody misses the rubber duck race, misses walking in the old days to Bowen Field House to watch an EMU basketball game, who misses our great parades, who misses Haabs or Sidetrack or Golden Wall or La Fiesta Mexicana. There's somebody out there who will miss the air shows at Willow Run, and miss lazy spring and summer nights fishing (with NO license mind you) at his secret spot with his buddy Cool Money.

Ypsilanti, you have been very good to me, I can never ever repay that debt. You have all had such a wonderful impact. So when somebody puts Ypsi down because it's not Ann Arbor, do me a favor, get in their grill. If you're an Eastern Michigan University athlete playing on a team having a bad year and you think to yourself "Nobody cares" that's simply not true. A lot of us DO care. We do care about you and your team whether you win lose or draw. Just keep plugging away for us. If you're one who thinks our city's financial situation is hopeless and you should give up, keep going. That's the thing I've learned about Ypsilanti, doing things the hard way if need be, using elbow grease has always gotten us by. Ypsilanti faced huge challenges helping win WWII and we face them again. Keep going friends, work harder, there's not a bone in my body that doesn't think Ypsilanti will rise above the money troubles we have now. We will, we're Ypsilanti.

While I may be leaving, understand I'll check in from time to time, and like I mentioned, you'll be in very good hands with John the Revelator, he's a top flight writer. I'm sure he'll do things different but that's ok too, Ypsilanti's never been scared of a change.

So long, farewell and adios Ypsilanti, you'll never have a bigger fan out there than Johnny Action Space Punk...