It has literally been years since I last published one of my “life stories.” To date I have published 25 stories and I have at least that many in “queue”. I chose to write “Life goes on – Corky and the Bartender” next as it is heartwarming, miraculous in its’ own way, and falls under the category of “You can’t make this stuff up.”
A little background is in order… “Life Goes On” is an American drama television series that first aired on ABC on September 12, 1989 and was the first television series to have a major character with Down’s syndrome. Christopher Joseph “Chris” Burke was born in 1965 with Down’s syndrome and his parents were told to institutionalize him. However, his parents raised him by themselves and supported him wholeheartedly, helping him nurture his talents. His first acting role was in a school production of the play ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes.’ Later, he started working on his skills by attending night classes and going to auditions. Eventually, in 1987 (the year our son Ian was born), he found a role in the TV movie ‘Desperate’. His performance as the character Charles Thatcher was appreciated so much that the network executives decided to create the TV series ‘Life Goes On’ with his character in the lead role. It was Christopher’s performance as “Corky” that inspired families like ours and gave us hope for our little loved ones’ futures.
If you have read my previous stories, you recall that I had a beautiful son, Ian Joseph Sanders, who was a little red headed boy with Down’s Syndrome. Little Ian was born in 1987 and tragically passed away in 1990. Ian was the center of our life and it should be no surprise that our family was glued to our TV on Sunday nights when “Life Goes On’ aired on ABC TV in 1989.
OK, so where in the heck did I get my title “Life Goes On – Corky and the Bartender?” Read on my friends, this story ain’t over yet!
When Ian was born in 1987, our entire family was in a state of shock. We did not know what the future held, but we knew Ian was part of our family and we were determined to provide him the best life possible. We were looking for answers and looking for sources of hope. The series “Life Goes On” was an inspiration to all of us. Both the lead character “Corky” and my son had red hair, which further endeared us to Corky. Corky was older than Ian, so in a way, we saw Corky as what might be possible for our Ian in the future. A photo of Christopher Burke is shown below:
As a side note, I will never forget crying when Patti Lupone, who played Corky’s mother in the series, sang “Wind Beneath My Wings” to Corky on the show.
While Ian passed away in 1990 only months after the show debuted, we continued to watch the program, feeling Ian’s spirit the entire time.
I had the opportunity to meet Corky (Christopher Burke) and his mother at the 20th Anniversary of the Association for Retarded Citizens (ARC) of Essex County, NJ fundraiser held in West Orange, NJ. Christopher was the guest speaker and his mother also spoke. I remember Christopher winning the auction at that fund-raising event and the first prize was a weekend for two at a very nice hotel. Mrs. Burke put an end to that discussion, much to Christopher’s dismay! She returned the prize for another lucky couple to enjoy.
OK Joe, so you still have not talked about a bartender…. what is the deal dude?
Fair enough….here is, as the late, great Paul Harvey would say, “the rest of the story”…
Eighteen years after Ian passed away, I retired from Rutgers University and began thinking about part time jobs I could do that would be both enjoyable and produce some beer money.
It was an easy decision…. bartending! I decided to go for it! I signed up for “bartending school” at the Main Line Center for Bartending in Philadelphia. It was a one-week course (5 days, 8 hours a day) in the summer of 2018. It was an intense course and I stayed up past midnight every night studying all the materials I needed to know for the final test and eventual employment as a bartender.
Unfortunately for me, I had some physical ailments that made the bartending school a serious challenge. (I hate that word…serious). I was on the verge of needing a total hip replacement and standing and walking was painful for me. Also, I had been in a serious (there I go again with that word) car accident earlier in 2018 which eventually led to my having to undergo back surgery. The pain from both the hip and back made walking difficult and standing for any length of time almost unbearable. At the end of each day’s training at the bartending school we played “bartending game show” activities where what you learned was tested through fun activities. Normally, I would have been “all in” but the pain from standing behind the bar for the day’s training had me seeing stars, so I did not participate in the game show activities. I sat in pain and watched.
So, on the last day of the course there was a practical “hands on” exam where the instructors would order two different drinks, then two more, etc. until 20 different drinks would have to be prepared without notes. This practical exam was part of the total course score where a 90% had to be achieved in order to obtain the State of Pennsylvania Mixology Certificate.
After the practical exam and the final written exam, I was called into the office (as was every one else) to get my score and certificate. The instructor told me that I had an 89% overall course grade and that a 90% was needed to pass. No problem, the instructor then said to me, “Joe, I am sure you probably received some extra credit during the afternoon game shows”…. I confessed that I had not participated in the game shows because of my back and hip pain, but then quickly interjected a comment about having been the best joke teller in the class. The instructor wholeheartedly agreed, laughed out loud, and said to me, “That’s worth at least one point…congratulations Bartender Joe!” I stuffed the bill in my shirt, as Harry Chapin song “Taxi” goes.
One of the cool things about the Main Line Center for Bartending is that they provided you with job leads. They connected me with an opportunity in the area where older people live and an in-house bar is provided. I called the contact there and was invited to come in to shadow one of the experienced bartenders while I learned the local nuances.
Then, thirty-eight years after the US Olympic hockey team’s “Miracle on Ice” had rocked the world, my world was about to get rocked again!
In the Fall of 2018, I reported in to my first paying bartender gig. I showed up early and met the real bartender who had me carrying the cherries, lemons, and limes out from the refrigerator to the small bar area. I was in pain, but tried not to show it. And then THE miracle happened….
While the real bartender and I were preparing for the afternoon patrons, a man walked in the room and asked for a coke. I looked at the man and felt like I knew him. The real bartender noticed me and said “Does he look familiar?”
I said, “CORKY!?” …and real bartender said “yes!”.
After almost twenty years, I was standing face-to-face with our family’s hero, Christopher Burke AKA Corky!!!
I introduced myself to Christopher and reflected back to the ARC of Essex County fund raiser decades ago. His hair was not red any more, but it was our hero, CORKY!
Since this was my first night of employment at the facility, I did not spend too much time talking to Christopher, but I did have the chance to see his mother later that evening and introduce myself to her.
I only worked at that bar for two more nights, one in each of the next two weeks. On the second night I spoke with both Christopher and his mother at great length and felt Ian’s presence the whole time.
Later that week I learned that I would soon be going in for back surgery. I had to tell my employer, and they had to lay me off. So, I had one final evening at the bar, and I pulled Christopher aside and told him that I believed with 100% of my heart that Ian was behind bringing Christopher and me together in the Fall of 2018. Christopher and I hugged each other and we both burst into tears. I felt God’s embrace that afternoon, and then knew why I had become a bartender.
I sent a fairly lengthy Christmas letter to Mrs. Burke that year asking her permission to visit her and Christopher as their friend, since I was no longer on the facility’s staff. Unfortunately, I never heard back from Mrs. Burke.
Prologue…. After both my back and hip surgeries, I did not go back to bartending. In my mind, that ship had sailed, and I am not a Navy man. (A quick look at the below photo and the final one in this story would lead one to believe that my son Ian was an army man as well. However, not insignificantly, the man with the “Navy” shirt was my father-in-law, who inspires me to this day as a father and mountain of an ethical man, husband, father, grand-father, and great grand-father.)
I then began driving for both Lyft and Uber, jobs where I would not be on my feet. I remember telling myself that if I were ever driving near the facility where Christopher and his mother lived, that I would try and visit them. I had a very strict, self-imposed protocol that I followed. I would leave my Lyft software application turned on (which would enable passengers to request a ride from me) until the moment I turned my car engine off at the facility where Christopher lived. If a request came in, I would immediately leave the parking area, not look for Christopher, and tend to my driving duties. I remember that on three separate occasions, I had pulled into the property’s parking lot, only to receive a ride request. So, on each occasion, I left the area, never to see Corky again.
So, it is definitely true that:
LIFE GOES ON.
RIP Ian Joseph Sanders August 7, 1987 – January 6, 1990
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