A Spider in the Storm

Part III: My Career and My Family

Part III

My Career and my family

Journal of Data Management (DPMA)

I took the Northwestern commuter train to Park Ridge and reported to work at DPMA the first Monday of October, only to be told that the magazine's office was housed in a construction trailer at an empty lot across the street. Jack Linden, a mid-thirty man with blond hair, large green eyes and a baritone voice met me as I entered the cramped trailer looking perplexed.

"Al? I am Jack Linden. I am sorry we have to work in this trailer for the next few months. Our building is being expanded to add more space. Anyway, welcome to the Journal of Data Management."

"Mr. Linden, I'm glad to meet you."

"Just call me Jack. Why don't we go get some coffee and sit down for a chat."

"Sure, Jack." I sat down on the only folding chair in front of his desk. "As you know, this is my first job in the U.S. I know nothing about computers, and I have worked for a magazine before but only as a researcher. I need a lot of guidance from you."

"Don't worry if you don't know anything about computers. I don't know that much either." Jack handed me a copy of the magazine. "Here is our last issue. I just put next month's book to bed yesterday."

I leafed through the copy quickly. It looked pretty sparse with very little graphics. I put it down, unimpressed.

"Have Cal and Marge told you something about DPMA?"

"Yes, very briefly, but I am sure I will learn more about the organization as I go along."

"I could fill you in on that later. We have a very small shop here: just you and me. What I thought you could do in the beginning is to take care of the several regular departments," Jack said as we sat down at the small table next to the coffee stand. I had the funny feeling that that small table was going to be my desk for a while.

"We have a stack of letters from readers and a stack of press releases," Jack continued. "You could start sorting out these letters and mark them up for the next issue, and select some of the press releases to write up the 'New Products' and the 'Industry News' columns. Also, we have a column called 'People on the Move' about people changing jobs and getting promoted. You could take care of that too. You could also do some editing of the feature articles if you have time. Later on, I would like you to do some page layout. Have you done that before?"

"Only at school. I would really love to do the page layout. I could also try doing some graphics."

"That'd be great. Well Medill is a great journalism school; I am sure you've had an excellent education there."

I flipped over several back issues of the magazine and then got down to work.

Jack was such a soft-spoken and mild mannered person, and sounded so sincere the way he talked that it made me feel right at home. I also got along well with the secretary who supported us, Lorraine Walshon, who talked to me like a mother. She took me around the office and introduced me to the staff.

In the following months, Jack and I often had lunch together so we soon got to know each other pretty well. Jack had a wife Sandra and a small boy. He sang in a barbershop quartet and loved Broadway shows. He could sing a lot of tunes from Broadway musicals and told me the stories of those shows. I knew only a few of the popular shows like The King and I and My Fair Lady. I was fascinated by his knowledge.