[Chicago Slices raw: Wanda And Lilli #2]

This tape is a raw interview shot for "Chicago Slices." Valjean McLenighan interviews her mother and godmother, Wanda McLenighan and Lilian Bender. The two women, who have been friends since 1914, have just finished eating lunch at the Podhalanka Restaurant. They eventually make their way over to Valjean's home to admire her garden. Valjean also talks with the women about their lives growing up in Chicago.

00:00Copy video clip URL This tape begins with a shot of Wanda and Lilian just having finished their lunch at Podhalanka Restaurant. The two enjoy a cup of tea before gathering up their leftovers and heading over to Valjean’s home.

02:15Copy video clip URL The tape goes to black screen.

02:54Copy video clip URL Cut back to the two women sitting at their lunch table. Shortly after this, the three women travel to Valjean’s home to look at her garden.

04:00Copy video clip URL The three arrive at Valjean’s house and slowly make their way into the backyard. When they arrive, they are greeted by a lavish array of flowers and greenery. The women spend a few minutes walking around the garden and commenting on its beauty.

12:22Copy video clip URL Cut to a shot of the two ladies sitting at a table in the backyard. Valjean gathers footage of the women from several different angles.

20:15Copy video clip URL Over a couple of glasses of iced tea, the two ladies talk about their lives growing up in the Ukrainian Village neighborhood of Chicago. Valjean asks Wanda and Lilian if they ever thought about what they would be doing in their mid-eighties. Wanda states that she really never thought about her age. Lilian says, “Well I never have, and I don’t plan to think about what I’m going to do when I’m a hundred, alright Valjean? So now, I never have wondered, ‘What am I going to do when I’m fifty or seventy-five?’ I’m eighty-six now, and I take each day as it comes, and I’m glad to be here. I thank God for my life.” Wanda then quickly responds, “Touche.” Wanda goes on to lament her limited mobility. “I wish I could be more active without assistance, but I’m grateful for what I can do. I’m not in pain, everybody says I look well, and I feel wonderful when I’m sitting.” The two women go on to talk about the difference between their current neighborhood (Lincoln Park) and their old neighborhood. They both state that they have no desire to move back into their old neighborhood. They also talk about their experience in high school, their first experience with smoking as teenagers, their marriages, families, and struggles during WWII. Wanda and Lilian eventually talk about what they have been up to since retirement, go into more detail about the changes that have come to the city over the years, and briefly highlight the changes within society, specifically citing the lack of responsibility among many Americans. This lasts for the remainder of the tape.

57:45Copy video clip URL Tape ends.