David Goodis' Adventure

Black Friday by David Goodis

Literary Philadelphia Project

 

In David Goodis’ novel Black Friday he tells the story of Hart who is on the run from the police for a murder case and hops on trains going North and finds himself on the streets of Philadelphia with no money, no coat and just the thin clothes on his back. Hart tells about the bitter cold of Philadelphia in January and living in the city has shown me how bitter and cold these winters can be. David Goodis was a Temple student and lived in Philadelphia very similar to me right now! So as the first part of my research I went step by step through Hart’s journey through Philly in the beginning of his novel and took pictures and saw what was around the areas Hart went while running from the police.

Hart Started looking up and down Callowhill street to see if the police were coming and he was hating Philadelphia. The area around here is pretty secluded and there is not much foot traffic going on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hart then moved on up to Broad and Callowhill street. This way he would be able to be surrounded by more people cause Broad street has a lot more foot traffic. Hart complains about the cold and luckily on the night I went on my adventure the weather was really nice. I can't imagine walking that long without a heavy coat. Oh yeah I forgot to mention I walked from Temple all the way to these locations and back so that is what I call dedication!

 Hart then looks up to city hall to see that it was 6 20. I waited there at city hall till 6 20 to take a picture just to find out that you can't even see it in the picture. Hart tells of how its starting to get dark and this was accurate because around 6 30 it started getting darker and darker. You can tell Goodis knows thea area well and knows what the city is like in the winter months.

 Hart then walks to a clothing store but he did not give enough information so I couldn't find which clothing store it might have been. At this clothing store Hart steals a warm jacket to fend from the Philadelphia chill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hart then goes to 12th and Race and finds a local bar there. He has a drink until a police officer comes in and asks him about the jacket. Hart throws a beer in the officers face and runs out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Black Friday was written between 1950 and 1954. I found it so interesting that on 12th and Race here in 2013 there is still a bar. The bar is called the Cherry Lounge. Now I asked how long this bar has been here and they said the Cherry Lounge itself is fairly new but that there has always been a bar in this exact spot. David Goodis wrote this book with complete accuracy, making an easy way for people like me to follow in the steps of Hart.

 

Well the Blog wont let me upload anymore pictures so I'm going to have to leave my Philadelphia adeventure here! I'm really enjoying following the footsteps of this story and walking where Hart walked and realize that Goodis has made this trek himself. David Goodis wrote a story that relates to his perception of Philadelphia. I can really relate to Goodis because like him I consider this my city and its a place that was always connected to him, and likewise it is a place that will always be connected to me.