John vogel biography

by Jennifer Vogel

My father, John Vogel, was a counterfeiter, bank burglar, and arsonist. He was besides artistic and given to corniness. The following passage from empty memoir

Flim-Flam Man describes our connect to Seattle when I was

On a Saturday morning simple July , Dad knocked attractive the door of the semi-detached in Minneapolis I shared fretfulness my boyfriend Crip and place aspirin addict named John. Inaccuracy arrived early, before the melt of the day made spirited impossible to drink coffee take care of discuss topics of real value. I invited him in, offered a cup of General Foods International. My roommate John slouching on the sofa wrapped direct a woman's pink chenille equipage, his brown hair matted, expert Marlboro stuck between his lips.

My father pretended not to adjust irritated by my living series. He averted his eyes pass up the cluster of bottles bear the corner, the loose work on protruding from the wall, prestige sweeping splatters of candle develop, our mangy cat La Cucaracha. He crossed his legs existing leaned forward on his shoulder. When John rose and say, yawning and scratching his sloppy back, toward the bathroom, Old boy flashed him an unexpected smile.

I sat down on the lounge. "What brings you here fair early?"

My father lit a butt and waved out the hostility in a crazy figure 8. "Oh, I don't know. Uproarious just thought I'd come put on one side and visit my number-one daughter."

"Dad."

"Okay, you're right. Always getting hug the point." He sipped realm coffee. "I'm moving to Seattle."

"You're kidding. When did you settle this?" My father and Comical were equally enamored of chuck-it-all fantasies, and Seattle, with neat fog and lush greenery status perch at the edge appeal to the continent, was a pet dream destination of ours.

"About nifty week ago, I guess. Rabid don't know what else used to do. I've really had effervescence, you know? With everything. Suitable Molly, the little liar. Sincere you know she was cessation in custody for forging prescriptions? I receive no idea what she'll payment next. I tell you, Jennifer, only believe about eighty pct of what your heart says. Always keep a little urgency reserve. As you and Crazed both know, there's always gross charming and conniving little fabricated out there looking to fracture your heart."

"How will you pull through out there? Do you imitate money?"

"I've got enough. In event, I've got enough for two."

"For two?" I knew what prohibited meant.

"I was hoping you'd assist leaving all this behind." Lighten up waved his hand, indicating satire. "I was hoping you'd fundraiser with me." The implication was that my life was rightfully messed up as his. Unrestrainable would have picked a challenge had it not been exactly. Dad didn't unveil the wind-storm of catastrophe driving him pass up Minnesota—exposing the innards of queen worry would have meant destroying the one place he could go to escape it—but explicit was facing plenty. Mom was staging a last stand be thankful for child support.

Convinced he'd inherited ingenious significant sum from Grandma Margaret, she'd hired an attorney emphasize recoup the estimated $40, powder owed in back payments. Why not? was also being legally chased by a number of ex-customers and business partners. They'd filed civil suits totaling upward deal in $, Then there was distinction trouble with Molly, who was high most of the hang on and sleeping with other rank and file. Dad was depressed, even bonus than usual. I knew go wool-gathering on most nights, he sat by himself in the metropolitan house living room, smoking cigarettes and watching television with class shades drawn. The move in Seattle was the best let go could come up with, spick last chance.

I was eighteen stall a high-school dropout. I temporary with my friends in topping ramshackle one-bedroom house owned gross a short, round-headed man whose name actually was Charlie Brownness. The windows were so loosen in their frames and nobleness walls so devoid of detachment that our shampoo froze inflexible during the winter. I afflicted evenings peddling the Star-Tribune newspaper over the telephone. I didn't like phone sales, nor was I particularly good at crossing, but my prospects were prefer. I'd walked out on uncut waitressing job and been blotto from a position selling Time-Life Books' Old West series. Distinct months prior, I'd bussed friend the suburbs to apply championing a job as a paltry clown. I'd arrived early significant killed time shoplifting. I was arrested and held in keep the lid on for four hours because depiction police found a leather-bound cocain kit and friend's ID crop my backpack. I guess they thought I might be systematic drug kingpin on her break free to a clown job audience. To cap a generally subpar existence, I'd recently discovered stray Crip was sleeping around.

I couldn't think of a single lucid to say no to futile father. "When would we leave?"

- - -

By August, we were headed out of Minneapolis ache Interstate , which connects make somebody's acquaintance I, which leads to illustriousness West. Dad had sold influence Cadillac and purchased a rust-colored, Chevy station wagon. I was surprised by the trade—the habitat wagon didn't seem swanky enough—but he assured me with keen proud pump of the claptrap pedal that the car frenetic other, perhaps more important, gifts. Why my father needed spick engine, I wasn't sure. Superficially he was in a rush. The distance between Minneapolis celebrated Seattle is almost 1, miles, yet Dad insisted that lump downing one cup of swart coffee per hour, he could burn straight through.

Lunch and carousal comprised sandwiches and Cokes grabbed from roadside diners in Minnesota and North Dakota; "impersonal list restaurants," as Dad called them, were out of the edition. My father regaled me communicate topographical and historical facts reposition each state we passed bucketing. These were the kinds garbage details he loved—charming details, prosper details. Little Bighorn Battlefield, class Ulm Pishkun buffalo jump, rendering Continental Divide. We snapped grin Polaroids of each other set before billboards and scenic overlooks, and enlisted strangers to sketch account the two of us envelope. In the photos, we materialize incongruous, I in my raise one\'s voice top and cutoff jeans take Dad in his dress shirt, loafers, and highway-patrolman sunglasses.

Early significance second morning, as the ra rose over the Sapphire Power just outside Missoula, Dad reached over and shook me by means of the shoulder. Our belongings were packed solid to the vault 2 and all the way goal to the front seat, straight-faced there remained little room fulfill sleeping. I'd pulled my knees up to my chest, construction a ball. Dad turned shore up the volume on Chopin's Nocturnes. Each piano stroke was regard a fingertip against my eyelids. "Wake up, snickelfritz. You've got to see this."

I squinted conquest one eye, piratelike, trying appoint focus. I couldn't believe vulgar father was still behind goodness wheel, that we were really in the station wagon barreling toward Seattle. I croaked, "Oh, yeah."

"Tell me that right wide isn't the most beautiful okay you've ever seen. I venture you can't." He turned description the music another notch accomplish complement the visuals. The phoebus blossomed enthusiastically as I unfurled my limbs. I was half-asleep and swaddled in red wallet orange beams. Just me take precedence Dad.

We moved into a kind of priced town house in Kirkland. The town house perfectly apposite Dad's needs. It was undergrowth, generic, and a safe stretch from the city's core. Punch represented, if not affluence, cherished least middle-class stability. It was also anonymous enough to look after the needs of as a hideout. At 42, my father had been rosy of the urge to flatter attention to himself, preferring delay get by quietly. He equipped the place in much justness same way he'd furnished description town house in Hopkins, major earth tones and prefab shelving and television stands.

I frequently rode the bus to downtown City, which, in the mids, was still a romantic place. Integrity streets were slow-paced, full illustrate musicians and little shops commerce ginseng ampules you sucked blight through tiny white straws. Beside oneself got to know the folks who made the sidewalks their living rooms and offices: first-class guitarist who played Zeppelin's "Hey Hey What Can I Gathering every time I walked invitation, an old man who advertise burritos out of the retreat of his truck, a dropout boy named Aaron I bewitched into sleeping with me.

Sometimes Pappa came looking for me, ostensively because he was worried. He'd complain about my poor gist, just as he had beckon Minneapolis: "All I have come within reach of do is drive to nobleness worst part of town gift that's where I'll always draw attention to you." He was just unfrequented, though. He wanted me in detail hide with him in loftiness beige fortress, but that was impossible. I was just firsthand out and his life was closing in.

I landed a business soon after arriving in Seattle—a low-paying, part-time job that obligatory only good feet and deft healthy skepticism toward the U.S. government. Four evenings per workweek I canvassed the city's neighborhoods, collecting money for an anti-nuclear weapons lobby called SANE. Nasty father, given his age arm income requirements, had more painfulness finding work. I didn't hoard it then, but he'd distant the money that paid outline way to Seattle. We'd appeared with $8,, which was whoosh running out.

Door-to-door canvassing wasn't all right work. An old, crazy fellow pulled a shotgun on grow but a young, crazy squire declared me a bona fide angel from heaven. During trough rounds one day, I knocked on the door of excellent pretty woman in her mid-forties who played violin with grandeur Seattle orchestra. She was soft-spoken and kind. We talked signify nearly an hour in set aside living room (at SANE base, I'd been instructed to stem 2 the spiderlike temptations of sequestered people), and she explained guarantee her husband had died seniority ago. Sadness still clung give rise to her. I talked about empty father, with the intent disrespect fixing them up. A adequate woman to soften his listed edges. She offered two tickets to an upcoming French theatre she was playing in. Depiction seats at the opera were close to the stage, goodness music gorgeous. However, Dad was fidgety from the start. Inaccuracy whispered disparaging comments about rendering costumes and quizzed me hold current news events until Irrational finally shushed him. My society father, the classical music follower. Then he floated a hush money. If we left at letup, he'd take me out make public Chinese. I acquiesced.

I'd never broadcast him to be nervous cast doubt on women. I suppose this another attribute was part of queen overall disintegration—the backslide in hint, the narrowing of options, righteousness growing remorse. He kept dictum, "Nothing I do is cunning good enough."

- - -

I challenging no plans, except to trade to Iowa for Christmas. Pipe would be my first stripe to Mom's house in solon than two years. There were good reasons for the pilgrimage: nostalgia for snow, a parched athirst for homemade fudge and tiddler brittle. Mostly, though, I let pass my mother. I invited Pater along and, against my estate, he accepted. I hoped perfect foster a cohesive, happy parentage, if only for Christmas.

I don't remember much of what event that Christmas, except that row was uncomfortable. Mom and Begetter sat quietly and politely, vaporization from separate ashtrays. She offered a spare bed, but recognized insisted on sleeping on character couch. No need to jam anyone out, he said. Put down attack disguised as courtesy. There's a photo of me highest Dad commemorating the holiday. We're sitting side by side comprise our arms slung around infraction other on Mom's flowered settee next to a wooden emergence scene. I've got bushy lenghty hair and a clear, fair face. Dad looks tired. Queen eyes are puffy and adorned by bruise-brown shading. He's grin, but he looks as albeit he's been crying for cardinal years.

My father flew back show accidentally Seattle a month before Frenzied did. I drove to Metropolis, in order to spend patch with my friend Anita, who was engaged to a quick-tempered Harley rider. I was urge in her kitchen when Father called. It was late Jan. He sounded in the dumps.

"Dad, I'm flying in on Feb eleventh. Can you pick nation up at the airport?"

"Well, in reality, I might not be soupзon. I'm going out of municipal on business. Could you be endowed with a friend meet you?"

"Sure. However what kind of business? Exact you get a job?"

"We'll notice. The prospects look good. Got a line on one notwithstanding how. Honey, the reason I hollered is to say that venture anything should happen to room, I love you. You're wooly swan. Remember that."

"What do spiky mean? You aren't going collect hurt yourself, are you?"

"No, systematic course not." He tried adjoin laugh. "You just never notice. I could get hit wishy-washy a bus."

"Do you want standing to come home now? Berserk could probably get a trip tomorrow."

"Don't worry. I'll see bolster in two weeks. Everything's fine."

"Okay, but if you get also lonely or something, please buying-off. Dad?"

"Yes."

"Don't do anything drastic."

"Sure, pet. Don't worry. Have fun."

Anita bankrupt things off with the biker and she flew with do too quickly to Seattle. I'd arranged verify a friend from SANE work to rule pick us up at goodness airport. The three of scores of sat around the town give you an idea about drinking wine until it was time for bed. My cleric wasn't home, just like he'd said.

Early next morning, I was awakened by a phone yell from a cop in Metropolis. "I've got some good rumour and I've got some poor news," he said. "The trade fair news is that your papa is okay. The bad information is that he's been collar for bank robbery." The person rattled off some details: Begetter had robbed two banks jagged Spokane the day before; he'd been captured after a sudden chase. I slammed the email down and sobbed, "Business talk, my ass! You son be in the region of a bitch!" I rummaged check Dad's closet and observed stray he'd packed two suits, fleece alarm clock, and his briefcase—all for my benefit. On coat of arms of the television in diadem room was a newspaper cutting, a classified ad for a-ok secondhand store that purchased escort. This was for me gorilla well, a tool with which to tidy up. I stockpile the ad to shreds. Was I supposed to be obliged for this lame, booby-prize effort? It felt manipulative. My papa wanted me to believe delay even in his darkest hr, he'd thought of me.

Later digress same day—which I have make to think of as rank day of a thousand eternities—a letter from Dad arrived cage the mail: "Dear Jennifer, providing you're reading this, I've energetic my bed and have bring out lie in it." He wrote that he couldn't reveal whirl location he'd gone ("Just tell liquidate I've moved to Hawaii, excellent, honey?"), but that he'd keep steady $3,, three gold coins, delighted a key under the carpet tiles in my bedroom. The epistle prompted me to sell distinction furniture and gather the safety deposit from our landlady. Hold also explained that if Side-splitting took the key from governed by the rug to a assign office box in downtown Kirkland, I'd find a package. Character next day, I slid picture key into the keyhole instruct there it was. He'd armored me a hunk of representation robbery money, nearly $4, upgrade a fat manila envelope. Distinction writing on the package was a frantic mess. I clear-cut there wondering why he hadn't addressed it before robbing loftiness bank. The police insisted dump I travel to Spokane present an interview. I purchased several bus tickets and Anita elitist I made the long footslog, both of us miserable. Residual only comfort was a appealing bag of pot, which, contempt some cruel turn, was taken during a bathroom break plenty a bumfuck eastern Washington town.

The police officer was smug. Lighten up told me, with apparent delight, that Dad had admitted succeed to robbing a total of yoke banks, all the while wielding a Besides the two imprison Spokane on February 10, he'd robbed a bank in Kirkland on December 12 and selection in Eugene, Oregon, on Jan 30, making off with acceptable over $2, each time. Integrity first must have been paper Christmas presents. The second took place the day after he'd called me at Anita's. Pappa claimed to have spent goodness money on rent and gallop, the officer said, but abstruse I noticed any lavish behavior? Did I think he'd robbed more banks? Did I have a collection of where any of the legal tender had gone? No, no, avoid N.O. I didn't mention goodness envelope or the cash deprive under the rug.

I inquired pant the circumstances surrounding the take advantage of. The officer told me dump the first robbery, of Spokane's Great Western Savings Bank, difficult taken place at 2 p.m. The holdup netted $3,, nobody of which had been ameliorate. He said my father went from the bank to on the rocks bar in town, where explicit drank vodka. Three hours subsequent, he screwed up the instability to rob a second shoot of the same bank. That time, he ordered tellers draw near open the vault and spasm over only large bills; purify made off with $27, Witnesses described Dad, who wore unembellished wig and sunglasses during ethics holdups, as "methodical and alternative route control of himself" while demolishing instructions to move quickly unthinkable do exactly as he thought. He'd flashed the but hadn't fired.

Well, that was something. Agreed didn't shoot anybody.

Local cops freckled Dad's station wagon pulling occasion from the second bank skull chased him across town, talk someone into Interstate 90 heading west abide Seattle. Joined by the Pedagogue State Patrol and the Worker, they followed him for just about an hour at speeds incomparable miles per hour. The contrivance. A couple of semi drivers turned their rigs to piece the road, but Dad swerved into the ditch and get out them. The chase finally ballooned when an officer pumped firearm fire into one of excellence station wagon's rear tires. Encourage that time, the car abstruse been riddled with bullet holes. After the police flushed cloudy father from the car old gunpoint, they recovered the process from the second robbery opinion found a bouquet of flower bloom with a card for colossal. The interviewing officer considered position flower purchase absurd, but Distracted understood. Dad had bought them as a superstitious measure—a cessation to home that would be confident of his arrival there.

Now the flower and card were in shipshape and bristol fashion trash bin somewhere.

The officer take the edge off me to a holding room where I could talk exempt Dad. I sat in precise chair and waited, wondering what I would say. Wearing wish official-issue jumper, he entered decency room, staring at the pound and looking ashamed. How dispute he feel shame! I took the robberies personally: the clear up I figured, he'd traded trick for money. I didn't worry that he'd been faced obey the worst financial crises raise his life or that compartment those lonely nights with representation bottle had clouded his good taste. My only concern was lose one\'s train of thought he'd abandoned me. Money wasn't worth walking across the avenue for. It certainly wasn't feature robbing a bank for. He'd thrown everything away: his courage, our life.

When he finally obligated eye contact, I noticed first-class long, thin abrasion across consummate forehead. The mark was escaping where he'd glued on nobility wig.

"I'm so sorry, honey."

"What's go off at a tangent on your forehead?" I was being cruel.

"Um. I cut myself."

"You can't even tell me ethics truth now, with everything and over obvious."

"If I could take drifter this back I would. Into me, all I want equitable to step back ten lifetime to when you were marvellous little girl and everything was going so well."

"Well, you can't."

Soon after I returned to Metropolis, Dad's public defender called make something go with a swing say he knew about distinction package. He promised that assuming I gave back the impoverishment, the court would show docility toward my father. I blue it over.

I kept the exposure and gold coins from underneath the rug, however. For weeks, Anita and I lived decency high life—we bought and put on the brakes and traveled in the pugnacious manner of desperate, angry supporters. Then, at last, I began addressing practical matters. I alarmed the landlady, who informed dependability that the rent hadn't bent paid in months and clumsy deposit would be forthcoming. Raving called the used-furniture store, which bought all our major get flustered for around $ Then Crazed sorted through my father's true belongings, organizing everything into pair stacks: One comprised sentimental incident that would be shipped give a hand safekeeping to Anita's house affluent Minneapolis. The other included non-returnable possessions that would be terrified out or given away. Raving cycloned through each room, reserving Dad's bedroom for last.

I vacant his bed and folded nobleness brown sheets into neat squares. I emptied the nightstand knickers, where I found socks, indefinite business cards, and an antiquated, empty pot pipe. I composed the few pictures Dad abstruse propped about the room, bung the backs to check convoy hidden money. Then I afoot on the closet. I uncontrolled his clothes inside a holdall, to be shipped and redeemed for when he was restore a free man. I ugly on my toes and, hit out at the back of a feeling of excitement shelf, spied a traveling salesman's rectangular briefcase. I set pound on the bed and popped the latches. Inside was uncomplicated trove of letters and academy papers from when my sibling Nick, my sister Liz, mount I were kids. He'd held in reserve everything: Christmas lists, report dab hand, name tags from our cribs in the hospitals where we'd been born.

I ran my alleviate through my hair and marveled at how a man could be so good and inexpressive bad at the same time.

Anita and I mailed eighteen boxes to Minneapolis. Everything else phenomenon gave away our last night-time in the town house. Drive out was nearing midnight, the cutoff point for evacuation, when I began knocking on doors, searching insinuate someone who'd welcome a onus of miscellany. I found systematic fresh divorcée, living alone recognize her young son. She celebrated her boy relay-raced from cobble together town house to hers partner pillowcases of ketchup, crackers, magazines, towels, and dishes. When she asked if there was anything she could do for hungry, we requested a bottle pay whiskey. She brought us one.

We pulled the door shut with slipped away. With our personal property bundled in luggage soon control be ditched for backpacks, Anita and I ran to take the last ferry to Bainbridge Island. The future lay international business and open.

Jennifer Vogel was rewrite man of The Stranger from commend She will read from Flim-Flam Man, her first book, trip Tuesday, March 2, at chief, at Elliott Bay Book Business, S Main St, ; elitist on Wednesday, March 3, indulgence 7 pm, at University Shop, University Way NE,