Hi there Southern Indiana! I have missed this city with all my heart, and I’m so glad to be back! I am pleased to say that I have been asked to write a column for the City-County Observer, and in honor of my expertise in the realm of personal matters, I believe that I am perhaps the most qualified person for just such a matter.
I know to some, that I might sound terse, but my intent is just not so. My experience comes from years of seeking to find the trueness of myself and the life I wanted to live. After all my searching, I finally ended up right back where I came from; Evansville, Indiana.
When I graduated high school I was ready to leave this town behind, spread my wings and say goodbye to that old farm I had spent my first 18 years of life taking care of. I ended up at Indiana University, where I obtained a BA in Psychology and BA in Linguistics. After graduation I still didn’t feel fulfilled with my accomplishments, so I headed to New York City where I ended up pursuing a new passion for fashion!
Living in New York was the time of my life and I met so many wonderful people. When my fashion-passion ended, I decided it was time to make use of my long, lean gams and I auditioned for the Radio City Rockettes.
Being a Rockette in the late 70’s didn’t work out so well, so I moved on from there to Washington, DC. I figured that it was time to work in my stifled enthusiasm for law and politics, so I headed to DC with hopes for a political future. It was in DC where I was approached by a dapper and handsome man who compared me to Kim Novak. He loved my long legs, blond hair and hazel eyes, and never stopped telling me how beautiful he thought I was. He swept me away with his compliments and we had a short and torrid affair. It ended up that he worked for the CIA and wanted me to train for a women’s spy program. When I knew our short-lived love affair was coming to end, I took him up on his offer and spent the next 4 years putting my experience in linguistics and psychology to good use in Russia and China.
I lived a life of espionage and jet-setting, enjoying caviar and vodka with stuffy Russian mob men. After four years, I realized that what I was missing was love. I ended my term with the CIA and set out to meet the man of my dreams in Chicago. While I was working as a singer/dancer in a trendy, yet upscale Chicago bar, I met my beloved husband,Piotr. Because he was Polish and Polish was not one of my specialties in Linguistics, Piotr was able to teach me everything I needed to know about his language. We were close friends for a number of years. Piotr and I spent most of our time together and he supported my career change from singer/dancer to interior designer. Piotr was a beautiful man, with a thick mane of silver hair and crystal blue eyes. Our friendship blossomed into a special romance that resulted in my first and only marriage to date.
Piotr wasn’t a young man, (he was 40 years my senior), but he was the most wonderful, giving and caring person I had ever met. He was smart and savvy and we spent our time together enjoying the best things in life, champagne, caviar and cigars. Piotr made his money in the oil business so he could and did give me everything I ever wanted. I never asked, and with Piotr, my happiness was what made him feel alive.
On our first anniversary I wanted to surprise Piotr with a special night out on the town. After a beautiful evening of dinner, music, dancing and intimate things I won’t mention here, I awoke to find Piotr lying in my arms in our king size bed. He wasn’t breathing. I called the butler to get an ambulance. We found out later that Piotr had died from a massive heart attack brought on by stomach upset. His old heart just couldn’t take the crazy night we had together.
It was a sad year for me, but I did make it through the grief with the help of my two best friends, Jane and one of my old CIA buddies (AKA Mole). Jane mentioned to me that living in Piotr’s huge mansion was a bad idea. She thought that my spark for life had died along with Piotr, and she finally convinced me to move back home to be closer to family, and of course to Mole. (More on Mole at a later date.)
So it’s here in Evansville where I’ve been for the past 5 years. I’ve been living in a semi-country home with my two dogs, Belvedere a Bearded Collie and Patron, a teacup Chihuahua. Piotre left me his financial legacy, so I’ve dedicated my time to adopting unwanted and mistreated thoroughbreds. My time nowadays is spent taking care of my animal menagerie while sipping vodka martinis on my wrap-around porch.
It feels like an eternity since I left Evansville to pursue my many passions, and I always felt like something was missing. I missed the sweet smell of October leaves, and the greasy food of the West Side Nut Club Fall Festival. I missed Germania Maennerchor and the Frog Follies. I missed Mesker Park Zoo with the monkey ship, Bunny the elephant and Donna the hippo. Donna and the monkey ship are still around, but Bunny has since passed on, and the monkeys have abandoned the ship. No longer is the Sterling Brewery a fixture on Fulton and Division. I can’t say that I miss the smell of the brewery, but I sure miss the taste of the beer!
I missed the Shrine Circus at Roberts Stadium. I guess I made it back in time to see it like I remembered it, from the top, (what used to be bleachers) at Roberts Stadium. This year I saw the circus at the Ford Center. Wow, what a change and a nice one at that! Private box seats, Mojitos and nachos served with a smile from a hot little UE senior working to help pay his way to Europe for spring break. I know that I’ve gotten better with age, and I’m glad to see that my hometown has aged with the same grace. Of all the Evansville places I missed, it was the people I had left so many years ago that brought me back to my old home.
But now I’m back and I think I’ve more than proved to you that my passion for life and people are qualities that make me a perfect fit for this column. Honey, I’ve been through it all, and lived my dreams, and one thing I can say for sure is that along the way, I have never forgotten where I came from and who I am. So send me a letter and I’ll answer your questions as best I can. My advice comes not just from experience, but from the heart. I look forward to hearing from the City-County Observer readers!
Love and kisses,
Lil
“Dream big dreams and live them.†—Lil
Lil is currently in the process of obtaining a new email address (one that is suitable to print in a family publication). In the meantime you can send any questions you would like to ask her through the “Mole Hotline”. Just indicate that you are writing to Lil and we will forward her your questions.
One thing for sure Lil: you turn a cool phrase. If half of your bio is true and the other half fantasy, you’ve still done your share of living and then some. Your recollections of Evansville’s past, prove that you’re the real deal; a true witness of Evansville when she was young, free, vital, and so were you. Welcome home. Kick off your shoes and get comfy.
If this is a personals column, my question to you is this: What could ever replace the drive-in movies, viewing the submarine races from Reitz hill, cruisin’ main in a 57 Chevy or trying to explain away silver dollar sized hickeys, on each side of the neck?
Restless in retirement
Bubba
Hi Lil…pretty depressed over the IU loss this evening! What are your thoughts on the way Verdell played. Kind of diggin’ your outfit! Is that something you picked up in New York? Evansville? Haubsadt?
Best of luck with the new gig!
Lil,
Did you also write the 1982 hit, “Never Been to Me”?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhQWND9jKDA
Thanks for your kind and welcoming words! It goes to show that the hospitality and kindness I remember is still alive in our city. The memories I have from this place have been what’s kept me alive and kicking! Of all the places I have lived, visited or passed through, thoughts of Evansville never escaped my mind. There was a day when I couldn’t wait to leave this town, but as time passed I couldn’t imagine making any other city my permanent home.
Bubba,
To answer your question, of course I remember the submarine races! I think I “saw” a submarine race every weekend during my senior year of high school 😉 Thanks for the memories!!!!
helium_head,
I was in the Key Largo and didn’t get to watch the game, but I did check on the score a few times. Disappointing to say the least! Ah how I miss the Bobby Knight-Steve Alford days! Oh, I almost forgot! The outfit you are “diggin” is a Lil creation! I never lost my flair and passion for fashion. I design some of my own clothes, but nowadays its just much easier to shop!
Neil,
No, I didn’t write the song “Never Been to Me,” however I did meet the writers a few years before the song was released. While I don’t have confirmation that the song was LOOSELY based on my life, I’d like to think that maybe I had a little influence somewhere in that song.
I am extremely overwhelmed by the support and well wishes I have received! I can’t say thank you enough! I’ve already received a few letters for my advice column on the City-County Observer, so keep ’em coming! (Send them through the Mole Hotline for now.)
The editor will be posting our first letter tomorrow with many more to come! Thanks to the readers, and a HUGE thanks to the City-County Observer for giving this old gal a job!
Love and Kisses,
Lil
Hey, Lil, I would like to meet you. Any friend of Neil’s would be interesting to meet, I’m certain. The Mole, savvy sleuth that he is, can put us in touch.
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