The Firm--Day 55

No word yet on the grade I got on my British Politics paper. I'm really hoping to find out next week! We had a very interesting class again this week all about the Kray Twins. If you are unfamiliar with the Krays (Ronnie and Reggie), they were a pair of brother gangsters who lived in the East End of London and operated an underground crime empire called The Firm during the 1950s and 1960s. Interestingly enough, The Firm is also the nickname for the royal family (one that they gave themselves). Not surprisingly, the Krays got a lot of their inspiration from American gangster films. The Krays were intriguing characters because so many people admired them--when Ronnie Kray died in 1995, his funeral was the largest since Winston Churchill's 30 years earlier. They created these outward personae of glamor, gentlemanly conduct, and sociability, but they were in fact cold-blooded murderers. As young men, they were both boxers, Reggie the technical boxer with tons of potential and grace and Ronnie the brutal boxer who was once disqualified for head-butting his opponent. They dodged the draft (the laws back then required boys aged 18 to join the National Service--the army basically--for 18 months) and even when they did show up, it wasn't for long. They went AWOL and were found drinking tea in their mother's home, then they were sentenced to three years in prison. Amazingly, they spent a short bit of this time in the Tower of London! Talk about harsh punishment...

Like I said last week, my professor did a lot of his research on the Kray Twins. He spent a good deal of time in the East End talking to people who had known the Krays or who had known someone involved with the Krays. He is really an incredible person. He told us a lot of stories about his research, including its early days. In the early 1990s, he and a colleague decided to give a lecture in the East End about the Krays and their legacy. The idea was that people would come to share their insights and experiences. At first, it looked like no one was going to show up, but just a few minutes before the lecture was scheduled to begin, a crowd of 70 to 80 people flooded into the room. Professor J said he got a lot of comments and questions from the crowd, so it was a great start to his project. Then, when almost everyone had left the building, a large man standing off to the side of the lectern approached Professor J and told him that he had a friend who wanted to have a drink with him next door. Being the adventurous guy he is, Professor J agreed and met the mysterious character as he requested. This man (who Professor J called Bernie) said he knew Reggie Kray very well (Reggie Kray was in jail at the time, serving his life sentence for murder). It turns out that Reggie Kray knew that Professor J was doing this research, and he wanted to see the draft of the paper! Professor J was forced to hand over his portfolio of materials to Bernie, who then delivered them to Reggie. Incredibly, Reggie sent Professor J a letter in response, offering suggestions on how to improve the paper and even enclosing a photo of himself with both of his fists raised imposingly while standing in his jail cell. The letter was signed, "Best wishes, Reggie." How's that for amazing? If you look at it the right way, I am only three degrees separated from one of the most infamous characters in British history! That makes all of you only four degrees separated. Life is truly unbelievable.

To wrap up the story, Professor J continued his research after that night, but he eventually had to stop because all of his associations with the gangster world were effecting him personally, emotionally, and psychologically. He finished writing the article, and now he includes a lecture on the Kray Twins in his sociology and political science courses to illustrate certain concepts about urban mythologies. Needless to say, it made for a pretty impressive and memorable lecture.

Today we had a rather beautiful sun shower. I just love the mixture of sun and rain, so it was quite a treat and very unusual, to boot. I heard that one student saw a double-rainbow afterward, which would have been really cool. However, I saw my own marvel: a cloud with the sun peaking out from behind it and splashing brilliant sunbeams down to earth. London delivers again with its fantastic cloud displays! I've never seen anything as dynamic as London's weather system, and it's actually something that I will miss. Maybe I shouldn't talk, though. We have been treated to absolutely fabulous weather while we have been here, and I heard that it was awful all summer and rained almost every day. In turn, I've heard that the winters are very cloudy and damp, probably the most depressing weather I can think of. All I know is that if I come back to London, I would probably pick this exact time of year. It's perfect because it is right between summer and late fall, so you don't get rainy and hot or rainy and cold. I think London must be nice around Christmastime, too, and in the spring when all of the flowers start blooming.

What a light show!

I also have some very exciting news on the home front. I know where I will be living for the remainder of the year--in Heimdall with my friend Hannah's roommates! I am so excited, and this is such good news for so many reasons. First of all, I know from Hannah's report that these girls are nice and awesome. Secondly, I get my very own bedroom! I don't have to worry about disturbing anyone else, and I get a nice quiet space all my own. Thirdly, Heimdall is situated apart from other student houses, so its only neighbors are a middle-aged couple, so I know that the house in general will be quiet. Finally, I don't have to pay for a full meal plan, which I never used all of anyway. I am thinking that I will only need a quarter meal plan (enough for a sandwich and fruit at lunch in the College Center) and then I can eat breakfast at home and cook my own dinner still (which is great because I am really getting used to it and even enjoy it sometimes). I still need to figure out my living situation for next year, but my friend Sarah gave me a good lead on a landlord (her landlord, actually), so I will probably contact him when I get back to ask about single apartments (which is really what I've wanted all along, I guess). It's either that, or it's back to the dorms. See, at Augustana, they reserve TLA spots for in-coming juniors. If there are any spots left over after the junior class has picked, they let in-coming sophomores and seniors choose TLA spots. However, Augustana has recently started admitting more students to each class (my class size was 625, and the next class grew to an astounding 750). With all these extra bodies, it is highly doubtful that I would be able to get a TLA spot. As such, I would end up back in dorm-land, which seems like a fate worse than death right now (but I'm sure under extreme circumstances and if I were left with no other choice, I would be able to grin and bear it). But that's all stuff I need to wait on until I'm actually in the Quad Cities. It's actually been great having to walk so far for class because when I get back, walking to class will seem like nothing. Also, if I get an apartment off campus, I wouldn't mind walking half an hour to get to class, so I can increase my options (whereas other students would complain about having to live so far away).

Anyway, thanks for letting me share my news and concerns with you. I assure you that it is so beneficial for me to vent and express like that. Tomorrow we are finishing up the last few student presentations in History and then taking a field trip to the Inns of Court, the center of judicial work in London. It should be quite interesting and educational.