In the mid-twentieth-century, school gangs were the norm in Detroit, Michigan. Poor eyesight was the impetus for organizing the AFO gang. The episodes in this memoir are a vivid account of one man's youth in the rough-and-tumble neighborhoods of northeast Detroit. They are hilarious yet heart-wrenching, light-hearted yet deadly serious with moments of reflection and wisdom. Enjoy the veil of humor that cloaked the gang's mischievous and dangerous activities. Experience the norm of city life during recovery from the great depression. Gain insight into the adolescent mind as it copes with parental guidance, educational pressures, law enforcement restrictions, and life dreams. Enhance your understanding of the historical time, the opportunities available and barriers faced by the youth. The nineteen episodes in this memoir take you into the woods with hatchets, through a break-in and its consequences, confrontations with the law and another gang, thievery planning and its execution, a midnight excursion among bull dozers, teenage sexual encounters, confrontation with death, and finally the gangs' demise as its member's transition into the world of labor and responsibility. All this and more with a dose of humor befitting a court jester. The episodes are true, but the names have been changed to protect the guilty. Even though this is a memoir of the gang leader, a Puffed Up Definition section is included for your entertainment, and brief family background of the gang leader is appended to provide a reference point for this historical drama.
Gordon's early life and education were hampered by poor eyesight, resulting in deficits in spelling, grammar and punctuation. The truth is, he couldn't read or write -later, this sparked his interest in becoming an author. During high school days in the 1940s, Gordon and 16 comrades, known as Club AFO, roamed the streets that bordered the inner city of Detroit. Their adventurous life led to Gordon's suspension from high school for misconduct. Determination triumphed! Despite lack of money and preparation for college, Gordon eventually earned a BA degree in social sciences from Capital University and a Master of Divinity Degree from Lutheran Theological Seminary in Columbus, Ohio. True to form, this boy from a poor section of Detroit paid his own way, graduating without a cent of debt. Gordon's professional career included active service in the ministry, and 21 years of executive leadership in for-profit and non-profit organizations. He lectured in the Hospital and Health Care Administration Department at Ohio State University and in the Political Science Department at Capital University. He also spent three years in government services, and ran for political office in two elections-being successful in one attempt. As a writer and producer, Gordon's early works included 12 one-hour religious vignettes and a nationally publicized movie, "The Wondrous Story," featuring an all-teenage cast. His guide to "Planning Effective Meetings" was published by Northern Michigan University. He won a National Public Relations and Public Information award for his youth "Health Behavior Inventory" project. More recently, Gordon wrote feature articles on "Student Achievers" for a Detroit-area newspaper, and he placed first in the 2011 Whidbey Island Bayview Classic Auto Writing Competition for the essay "My Lady Elizabeth," a memoir of experiences with his Model-T Ford. Other recent publications include the short story, "Roxanne," in Jennifer Sander's anthology, "The Dog with the Old Soul," and the novel, "Murder Has Two Faces." \ Gordon is an active member of the Whidbey Island Writers Association, the Mystery Writers of America, Andrea Hurst's "Just Write" consortium, and the Whidbey Writers Group. He and his wife, Karen, have three children: David, Kevin, and Ashley, and one deceased son, Gregory. Gordon says, "Life is enhanced by adventures of the mind: read, enjoy, and learn."
