Lyle McFadden, an African American, discusses his 40-year career as a UAW production worker and plant security officer at the Fisher Body plant in Lansing, MI Marilyn Coulter: [recorder clicking] Fisher Body Historical Team interview. Today is January 26th, 2006. The time is approximately 12 noon. We’re at the UAW Local 602 [sniffing] Frank Dryer Greenhouse. First we’ll interview – introduce the team. John Fedewa: John Fedewa. Cheryl McQuaid: Cheryl McQuaid. Marilyn Coulter: And I’m Marilyn Coulter. Today we’re with, uh, Mr. Lyle McFadden. [0:26] Uh, could you please, uh, give us your name and spell it for us, please? Lyle McFadden: Lyle McFadden, L-Y-L-E, M-C Capital-F-A-D-D-E-N. Marilyn Coulter: [0:37] And your address, please. Your address? Lyle McFadden: 221 Lahoma, Lansing, Michigan 48915. Marilyn Coulter: [coughing] And you’re a male. [0:50] Um, are you married? Lyle McFadden: My wife passed. Marilyn Coulter: Mm. [beeping] Thank you. Sorry. Sorry about that. [0:56] Um, are you have any children? Lyle McFadden: I have four, I have four boys. Marilyn Coulter: Four boys. Lyle McFadden: And four grandkids. Marilyn Coulter: [I see 1:04]. [1:05] Now, were you born – where were you born? Lyle McFadden: I was born in St. Lawrence Hospital in Lansing, Michigan. Marilyn Coulter: [1:11] Uh, so, [sniffing] um, uh, what were your education? Lyle McFadden: I had three years a college. Marilyn Coulter: And... Lyle McFadden: I, I, I s-, I graduated from Lansing Sexton 1955. Marilyn Coulter: [1:25] And, um, did you have any military experience? Lyle McFadden: No, I didn’t. Marilyn Coulter: [1:30] And what’d your parents do? What did your parents do? Lyle McFadden: My, uh, dad worked for a school district at the – and my s-, my mother worked for East Lansing School District; she drove the bus. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. [1:42] And, um, what do – and I take it you were in school, um, before. What’d you do before you hired in to Fisher Body? Lyle McFadden: Uh, worked for the City of Lansing on the Garbage Department. Marilyn Coulter: In the Garbage Department. [sniffing] Okay. [throat clearing] Well, before we get into our Fisher Body history, you were born right here in Lansing. Lyle McFadden: Yes. Marilyn Coulter: [2:00] So, um, being born here in Lansing, did you have any prior ex-, you know, knowledge of Fisher Body? Lyle McFadden: Yes, because, uh, I had to-, I walked by it when I went to school. It’s, it’s right across the street from Sexton. Marilyn Coulter: [It was 2:15] – okay. [2:16] So what’d ya think about it? Lyle McFadden: What’d I think about s-, Fisher Body? Marilyn Coulter: Yeah, what’d ya think about Fisher Body as a child? Lyle McFadden: Oh, it was great. I raised four boys. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. [2:25] But before you, [laughter] before you came in, when you were... Lyle McFadden: When I was a kid? Marilyn Coulter: ...walking to school, did ya... Lyle McFadden: Oh, I just... Marilyn Coulter: ...have any... Lyle McFadden: ...I, well, we, we, you can look in the windows then and see people workin’, and ya had a s-, big ol’ Fisher Body sign in the yard that, uh, made out a flowers, and, and we used to go [really 2:44] pass in when you went by, and it was beautiful. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. [2:48] Did you know anybody who worked in... Lyle McFadden: Oh yes... Marilyn Coulter: ...the Plant? Lyle McFadden: ...yes, yes. In the neighborhood, it was everybody [sniffing] in Lansing [inaudible 2:54] [throat clearing] General Motors. Everybody in my neighborhood did. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. S-... Lyle McFadden: I mean their parents d-, their dad did. Marilyn Coulter: [3:00] So Fisher Body was considered a good place for the neighborhood? Lyle McFadden: Oh definitely, definitely. Marilyn Coulter: Um... Lyle McFadden: It’s a bl-, that was a bl-, as my mother would say, it was a blessing. Marilyn Coulter: [3:10] Your mother would say Fisher Body was a blessing? Lyle McFadden: N-, she thought Fisher Body was a blessing, ‘cause people – you know, you lived good. You [inaudible 3:16]. Marilyn Coulter: [3:19] So people who, who worked for General Motors was always considered good work. Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [3:24] So, uh, what year did you hire in to Fisher Body? Lyle McFadden: Um, November 7th, 1956. Marilyn Coulter: [3:33] And, um, now, you said you had an education, so you were, um, you had three years of college. Was that prior to hiring at Fisher Body? Lyle McFadden: Uh, no, uh, when I – I, I started, uh, working for Fisher Body and then I, uh, went to work – I went to, uh, LCC... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...and you, you weren’t workin’ year-round then. You, you know, you w-, you had summers off [because, and uh 3:58], so you – I went to school and then when I went on, uh, Security... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...w-, we took fire, fire and safety and [police administration 4:07]. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. Lyle McFadden: So. Marilyn Coulter: [murmuring] [4:12] So when you hired in, w-, when you hired into Fisher Body, can you remember what your first day was like here? Lyle McFadden: Yes, I do. It was hard for me, but I nee-, w-, I needed a job. I went into Paint Department and I worked there for 10 years. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: I wor-, and I got – which I did my hard work [inaudible 4:33], but, uh, so then when I, uh, I worked on the line, and I was a relief man. I worked in the Paint Department. Went that. and had some good foremans, ‘cause I – bein’ from Lansing, some of my foremans were, I went to school with their kids. Marilyn Coulter: Oh, so you knew. Lyle McFadden: So we grew up together, so... Marilyn Coulter: [4:58] So... Lyle McFadden: ...so they [knew me from that 4:59]. Marilyn Coulter: ...can you tell me what was a wet deck? Lyle McFadden: S-, it was, uh, s-, where, where they sand the car before they paint it. It, but in water, use water... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...[and sand it up 5:09]. I don’t know if – they called it moist [inaudible 5:11], it’s not there anymore. I don’t think it is. Marilyn Coulter: [5:16] So now, you came – and I’m gonna back up just a minute, and I just, uh – so you came into Fisher Body. Had you planned to come in here after high school? What made you [throat clearing] come to Fisher Body? Lyle McFadden: A job. Marilyn Coulter: Just the job? Lyle McFadden: Just the job. Ya-, back then, ya, ya, you could get, you could get into any plant, you could get into plants easy if you were, you know, you were the age. I, well, I came outta school young, so I – the first year, I, I did some dishwashing and [throat clearing] pots and pans out to the [Michigan State 5:44] but when I went to, when got into the plant, you – it was different. [Speak up 5:52]? Marilyn Coulter: [recorder clicking] So you worked in the wet deck and you were lucky enough to have a supervisor that ya knew ‘cause you went to school... Lyle McFadden: Uh, most of’m. Marilyn Coulter: ...with their kids. Lyle McFadden: Lansing wasn’t that big. See, you, Lansing wasn’t very big in them days. The rail-, railroad tracks were outside the city. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: So usually there would be outside the city and people live right out here, you know, s-, and, uh, so I, ya kn-, I knew, ya know, that a lotta of’m knew me from sports, ya know, ‘cause I played sports in high school, and so it, it was kind of a section like a community school. Marilyn Coulter: Uh-huh. Lyle McFadden: So I – lotta of’m knew me from there, so. And it helps. Marilyn Coulter: [6:29] And that helped? Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Because they knew you. [6:32] So... Lyle McFadden: [Yeah 6:32]. Marilyn Coulter: ...um, what was it like, um – [papers rustling] and what year did you hire in again? Lyle McFadden: ’56. 1956. Marilyn Coulter: In 1956. Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [6:41] In 1956, were there many African Americans working... Lyle McFadden: No. Marilyn Coulter: ...in the Plant? Lyle McFadden: Not a whole lot of’m. They, they were – it was still, in the ’50s, it still was segre-, a certain amount a segregation. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. [6:53] So how did that – did any of that affect you in the Plant? Lyle McFadden: No. Not... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...not many – it, at, at the time, I was more worried about, worried about workin’, and I said that what’s I – you know, punchin’ in and punchin’ out. Marilyn Coulter: You punched in and you punched out. S-... Lyle McFadden: And you worked and you... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...ya know, y-, you, and ya [didn’t have to g-, ya didn’t, you know 7:14], say you got paid. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. [7:17] So what was it like workin’ in the Paint Department? And you did the wet deck? Any other kind of... Lyle McFadden: It... Marilyn Coulter: ...jobs... Lyle McFadden: ...it was... Marilyn Coulter: ...[workin’ 7:21]? Lyle McFadden: ...it was, [coughing] it was, uh, s-, kinda scary and it was tough because you knew if you messed up you wouldn’t be there. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: So you, once ya start, ya got the hang of it, it didn’t bother ya. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: You knew you – well, I had my bro-, I had brothers work here, work in the Plant. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm, mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: So. Marilyn Coulter: [7:38] How did you learn your job? Did it take you a long time to... Lyle McFadden: N-... Marilyn Coulter: ...learn it? Lyle McFadden: No. Not really. Not really, bein’ the s-, I don’t know, I – it was, uh – yeah, I was a athlete, so it wasn’t, wasn’t like I was un-... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...uncoordinated. [laughter] Marilyn Coulter: Ah, I see. Lyle McFadden: [laughter] No. Marilyn Coulter: [7:55] So, um, you were how – you were 18 when you hired in? Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [7:58] So were there a l-, well did you hire on the day shift or the night shift or? Lyle McFadden: I – they – it was swing shifts then. Marilyn Coulter: [8:05] Swing shifts? So how would... Lyle McFadden: So that’s 5... Marilyn Coulter: ...that work? Lyle McFadden: ...5 weeks on days and 5 weeks on nights... Marilyn Coulter: Oh. [8:10] What was that like? Lyle McFadden: ...and – it was a gettin’ used to’m, but it was a job. You don’t – you didn’t really have a whole lotta say about it, ya know what I mean? Did ya wanna work? Marilyn Coulter: Uh-huh. Lyle McFadden: Or ya didn’t wanna work. If you wanted to work, you s-, you swung. Marilyn Coulter: [8:25] So how long did that process of swinging shifts... Lyle McFadden: At-, I can’t remember what year they, what they, what the, what all then, uh, [door squeaking] I think the late ’50s they, they vote-, we voted for a s-, uh, a, sen-, ya know, so you s-, [for all the shifts 8:39], so you were – and then I went on to stayin’ on nights. Marilyn Coulter: And then you stayed on nights. Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [8:44] That was your preferred with – why did you like nights? Lyle McFadden: Because I worked the, for the city in the daytime under Garbage in the summer. Marilyn Coulter: [8:51] So you kept two jobs? Lyle McFadden: I kept two jobs most a my life. Marilyn Coulter: Wow. Two jobs. [8:59] Now, was, w-, was the assembly work that easy that you were able to do two jobs at once or was it just because you were younger and able... Lyle McFadden: I was... Marilyn Coulter: ...to... Lyle McFadden: I was younger. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: Because y-, when you’re younger, you don’t notice that it’s – and I guess that is somethin’ that you wouldn’t do when ya got old, get, when you get older. Marilyn Coulter: [9:16] So what types of hours did you work? Lyle McFadden: On the Garbage, I got on the truck at 6:00 and I’d be done probably, most of the time it averaged about 10:00, because you had s-, so many – it was garbage cans in them days. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: You had so many cans that you had to pick up, you had to [throat clearing] [go through 9:39], uh, neighborhoods and stuff in, in them days. It was good exercise. Marilyn Coulter: [9:43] So how many hours did you work in the Plant at night? Lyle McFadden: Oh god, m-, well, you didn’t work year-round in them days. You didn’t work the whole year. You, you were done in the summer. Marilyn Coulter: [9:55] So it didn’t work in the summer? Lyle McFadden: Y-, the Plant didn’t work year-round. I think the first year, uh, they worked year-round was in ’59. Marilyn Coulter: In ’59? Lyle McFadden: ’59, uh, ‘cause I remember Eisenhower was president and we worked, uh, worked through the summer, and it was hot in there. I mean, it’s, it – they didn’t have air cond-, it was wasn’t like it is now. There was... Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Lyle McFadden: ...summertime, it was hot. Marilyn Coulter: It was hot... Lyle McFadden: The ovens, the ovens were hot too. [And they 10:22]... Marilyn Coulter: So the... Lyle McFadden: ...su-, they used to kinda like bake the paint on. Marilyn Coulter: [10:25] So now are you sayin’ like July and August you didn’t work, or August... Lyle McFadden: Um... Marilyn Coulter: ...you didn’t work... Lyle McFadden: ...you didn-... Marilyn Coulter: ...or... Lyle McFadden: ...you, you were off in the summer, yeah. Marilyn Coulter: The whole summer. Lyle McFadden: And then you went back in September. Marilyn Coulter: [10:35] Now, was that – what was [throat clearing] the decision a changeover, where they changed [inaudible 10:40]... Lyle McFadden: Oh, they have changeover too, yeah. [They – yeah 10:41]. Marilyn Coulter: [10:41] Oh, so that was in addition to the... Lyle McFadden: You, you... Marilyn Coulter: ...model change. Lyle McFadden: ...yeah, you’d cha-, you had a changeover, but it, like I said, it, it was part of the d-, when there was the downtime. Marilyn Coulter: Oh, okay. Lyle McFadden: But you didn’t – uh, like I said, it was – a lotta times you were down in the summer because they, they th-, they’d, they didn’t sell cars that much in the summer [or somethin’ 10:59]. Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Lyle McFadden: They, or they had’m [built up 11:00] in a [throat clearing] [inaudible 11:00] and, uh, you know, I had’m built up. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: But yeah, a lotta people, a lotta other people had, uh, second jobs for summer jobs; ya know... Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Lyle McFadden: ...summer farmers, summer, ya know – so everybody had somethin’ to do in the summer. Marilyn Coulter: [11:14] Well, now, how long did you work in Paint? Lyle McFadden: Mm, from ’56 to si-, to ’66. Marilyn Coulter: ’56 to ’66. Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [11:23] And did you do all the wet deck the whole time you were there? Lyle McFadden: I stayed in Paint over there, yeah. I... Marilyn Coulter: In... Lyle McFadden: ...I did mostly wet, mostly wet deck, and, uh, um, I most a the time was in the wet deck. S-, some-, sometime I went on Sealer and did, ya know, I’d, I’d, I’d, I was a relief person, so I had to learn a lotta jobs. Marilyn Coulter: Oh, okay. Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [11:48] So, uh, what happened after 1966? Lyle McFadden: I went on Security. Marilyn Coulter: You went on Security? Lyle McFadden: Yeah. [coughing] Marilyn Coulter: [11:55] So you went on Security for the same – for General Motors? Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [12:00] And how was that? Can you explain that? How did that work? How did you happen to go into Security? Lyle McFadden: Well, they, they asked, I was asked [sniffing] would I go to – I, I went to one – another thing in there, I went to, um, Plant 2. They had they tore out the Paint Department. I didn’t wanna go in the Body Shop, so I went to, [tapping] uh, Plant 2. They let, they had a thing where you could go to Plant 2, f-, front end line, and, uh, I went over there and worked 2 years. And then, when I went over there, they, I took, they had me take a foreman’s test. Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Lyle McFadden: It was mostly just, uh, geometry and little bit a algebra. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: And, uh, so when I went back to Fisher Body after 2 years, that was in ’61 to ’62... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...when I went back to Fisher Body, they were, uh, startin’ to integrate, um, salary. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: So they, the, the, they called m-, they called me and asked me was I inter-, still interested in bein’ a foreman. I said no. I, I, uh, didn’t, didn’t think I’d wanna put awa-, ya know, put away anybody. So, so then, uh, one a – Buckmaster who run-, he’s went to school with my bro-, older brothers, and he told me about – he said, “What you oughta think about goin’ on Security,” he said. Ya know, so, I said, “I don’t know.” I said, uh, ya know, I didn’t really mind... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...and then, and then [throat clearing] he told me that you could make more money. Marilyn Coulter: You could make more money. [13:38] So... Lyle McFadden: [Inaudible 13:38]... Marilyn Coulter: ...now, who was Buckmaster? Lyle McFadden: Buckmaster was, uh, the #2 man at Fisher Body when it – back then. Marilyn Coulter: So he was... Lyle McFadden: He was my, he was my, uh, he was the Superintendent of Paint too. Marilyn Coulter: He was the Superintendent of Paint? Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: But he [clanking]... Lyle McFadden: Uh... Marilyn Coulter: ...later become the Assistant... Lyle McFadden: But he was-... Marilyn Coulter: ...Plant Manager... Lyle McFadden: ...but Dick... Marilyn Coulter: ...also, right? Lyle McFadden: ...Dick Buckmaster. He was, uh, also a heck of an athlete back in, [sniffing] back... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. [throat clearing] Lyle McFadden: ...at Sexton when he was, when, when, uh, he was in school, but he was, he’s been retired now. He’s, he was old, he was, he was, he’s, he was older than I was. I don’t remember seein’ him play, but I... Marilyn Coulter: [Mm 14:09]. Lyle McFadden: ...heard about him, you know. Marilyn Coulter: Uh-huh. Lyle McFadden: So we talked [up 14:09], so he – I l-, I, ya know, I just said to him, and [inaudible 14:15]... Marilyn Coulter: [14:15] So he... Lyle McFadden: ...[inaudible 14:16]... Marilyn Coulter: ...said it was more than p-, it was more pay. Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: So what was – how much more did you get than workin’ on the line, y-, when you became a Security. Lyle McFadden: [Lot of, a lot more 14:24]. Marilyn Coulter: [14:26] Uh, I mean, like how much were you making an hour, per se, as... Lyle McFadden: Uh... Marilyn Coulter: ...a line... Lyle McFadden: ...it was... Marilyn Coulter: ...worker? Lyle McFadden: ...you, you worked a lot... Marilyn Coulter: Uh-huh. Lyle McFadden: ...on security. Marilyn Coulter: Uh-huh. Lyle McFadden: You was workin’, y-, you, you were 6 days a week... Marilyn Coulter: Uh-huh. Lyle McFadden: ...most a the times. Somet-, and, uh, and, uh, you made more an hour... Marilyn Coulter: Uh-huh. Lyle McFadden: ...and, uh, and, uh, then they, they changed it to salary so, so ya got, uh, [stock 14:48] benefits. I mean, it w-, it w-, it was a, it was a great deal. I mean, [laughter] it was a, it was a heck of a deal. Marilyn Coulter: It was a heck of deal. Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [14:56] And so you went on Security. Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [14:59] So how did that, um, go for you, going from being the [co-worker 15:03] [throat clearing] to being the Security for the [co-workers 15:06]? Lyle McFadden: Great, because I, I always liked, I, I coa-, I mess around coachin’ and I started lotta Little League. The – well, you probably drive by the – down Michigan Avenue, if ya look over to the right, when ya – uh, north... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...that baseball diamond, um, me, [Sam McGee 15:24] and Ja-, [Javier Cavazos 15:26]... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...we dug that, we dug that sucker almost by hand, started out by hand, and I got a guy run a bulldozer, and he level, leveled it off and we, we made that park. Now it’s the city’s park, but we started out makin’ that baseball park. We... Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Lyle McFadden: ...uh, w-, we had, we had to have a place to play baseball. So that was at that time. But we got it done. Marilyn Coulter: So... Lyle McFadden: And... Marilyn Coulter: ...now... Lyle McFadden: ...I had baseball, [sniffing] I had to [throat clearing] have, m-, uh, I worked on that board with, um, with Babe Ruth b-, uh, baseball, uh, instrumental on the board with Pop Warner. So... Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Lyle McFadden: ...and I, and we used to go by St. Joe Park. It’s still, s-, it’s still over there. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: And, uh, and because I was at Sexton, uh, we’d get – that was when you could use old stuff, and I’d take old football uniforms I’d get from the coaches and stuff and went out and, and give, you know, so the kids could play foot-, playin’ the football. Marilyn Coulter: [16:27] So you did it for kids in the community. Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: And so you... Lyle McFadden: And I was a scout, I was a scout [inaudible 16:33] for a while. I worked... Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Lyle McFadden: ...at scouts for a while too. That’s... Marilyn Coulter: [16:36] So now Sam McGee who was also a Security [Guard 16:39]... Lyle McFadden: Oh yeah. Marilyn Coulter: ...you, um, sat there and made the ba-, the baseball diamond? Lyle McFadden: The – right down here, right down... Marilyn Coulter: Right down the street... Lyle McFadden: ...right that street there... Marilyn Coulter: ...down on Michigan. Lyle McFadden: ...yeah, across from the fire station. Marilyn Coulter: [16:48] Now, was that... Lyle McFadden; Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: ...public property? Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: What was that [then 16:51]? Lyle McFadden: That was, uh, that was just, uh, drainage from the golf course, ya know; looked like a swamp down there. Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Lyle McFadden: And so we got – they, they, they started dumpin’ stuff, dumpin’ dirt there... Marilyn Coulter: Uh-huh. Lyle McFadden: ...where that big rocks and stuff. So we, uh, they, we, uh, they – uh, Javier Cavazos said we gotta have a place to play games, so [clicking] we just got out there... Marilyn Coulter: [And made it 17:13]. Lyle McFadden: ...and he, he told me to show up with a shovel, and then I, I knew a guy who had a bulldozer, and I went and got him and I said, uh, you know, um... Marilyn Coulter: Uh-huh. Lyle McFadden: ...and we had kids out there helpin’, and I can’t have kids pickin’ up big rocks, so I had to – I got this guy to level up, level it off for us... Marilyn Coulter: Uh-huh. Lyle McFadden: ...and we had to pick up the rock and, you know, [inaudible 17:32] but we got the park, we got it built. Marilyn Coulter: So – oh, that’s excellent. Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [17:38] Um, so when you became a Security guard... Lyle McFadden: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: ...uh, what were [throat clearing] your responsibilities as a Security Guard? Were you a s-, now, were you a Security Guard in Fisher Body? Lyle McFadden: Yeah, I was General Motors. Marilyn Coulter: [17:51] In-... Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: ...in-, inside the same facility... Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: ...that you worked on the line. Lyle McFadden: Yeah, I was still there, yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [17:55] And so now, you’re, you’re in Fisher Body and you’re a... Lyle McFadden: No... Marilyn Coulter: ...Security Guard... Lyle McFadden: ...actually I’m with, uh – I’m down here now, on the corner, o-, eh... Marilyn Coulter: ...at that time. Lyle McFadden: Yeah, at that time... Marilyn Coulter: At that time. Lyle McFadden: ...yeah. Excuse me. Marilyn Coulter: [18:03] So you were, um – so what was the responsibilities of Security Guards? Lyle McFadden: Check people in and out, check, ya know, check lunch buckets, um, make sure, ya know, people came in supposed to be there, notify, notify, uh, uh, people, ya know, the foremans or the superintendents if they – I was a dispatcher too, so I had to, had to answer the phone. Yeah, no, it was, it was, it was, it was a good job. And we, w-, go on [AMS 18:34] runs. Marilyn Coulter: [18:35] So do you have some good memories that you’d like to share with us about being – as your time your time on Security? I’m sure – how long were you a Security Guard? Lyle McFadden: Oh, god, I, uh, still am. [laughter] Marilyn Coulter: Well, [laughter] I know you still are, [laughter] but I’m sure insofar [throat clearing] as in Fisher Body, Plant 6... Lyle McFadden: When I left... Marilyn Coulter: ...can you remember some stories... Lyle McFadden: ...oh, they s-, they s-, they, they sold, uh, General Motors Security in it was ’93... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...and, uh, I moved over here in ’94, ’95, w-... Marilyn Coulter: Down at the other [building 19:08]. Lyle McFadden: ...because, because they were gonna run the city outta there. Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Lyle McFadden: Just have one dispatcher. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: And I had the experience, so they wanted me to... Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Lyle McFadden: ...go over there. And I knew... Marilyn Coulter: S-... Lyle McFadden: ...Lansing... Marilyn Coulter: ...so but before we get over there, let’s go back into Fisher Body. Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [19:22] So do you have some suc-, some good stories of being Security at Fisher Body? Lyle McFadden: Mm, like I say, I, I loved it. I, I love workin’ there. I, even doin’ Paint. I didn’t, I didn’t mind. Marilyn Coulter: [19:33] What w-, what, what was one a your favorite days or one of your most interesting days as a Security Guard at Fisher Body? Lyle McFadden: Oh god. I’m g-, I, I ain’t gonna say payday, but [laughter] [inaudible 19:47]... Marilyn Coulter: [Inaudible 19:48]. [laughter] [murmuring] [recorder clicking] [19:53] So Mr. McFadden, can you just walk us through some of your times as a Security Guard? You know, um, s-, your good times, your bad times, exciting times, funny times. Just kinda share with us and let us know [sniffing] what it’s like bein’ a Security Guard. Lyle McFadden: Well, the, one a the, the real good parts is that a lot of the kids that played ball for me at Sexton or played for other schools would come in there to, to work, and I’d get on’m about, ya know, get on’m about working and stuff, and tell’m they’d better, they’d better stay straight, ya know, and all that stuff there when they come in, and we’d joke back and forth, and a lotta kids that I knew that played sports came in and worked for General Motors, and, uh, then I said, uh, the, probably the, the, that some of’m went on and be-, become foremans and superintendents, and so I get there and I said [Fred Ford 20:45] played for s-, played for s-, Sexton, him and h-, ya know, his brother. So, uh, then, uh, I said the bad part was probably the worst night was the night that those three guys died in the tank. I said I was dispatcher. And I knew’m. I knew [Clay 21:02] when he was goi-, when he was going to college, and, uh, [Tackett 21:06] wrestled my son; he w-, he was from [Elwood LC 21:10], he wrestled my son, so I kinda knew him that way and, uh, and he was quite and athlete, and, uh, [Ward 21:20] was – I knew Ward because we, we got to be real good, be good friends. And so I’m, I’m at the desk and, and I, I monitored, I answered the desk area, dispatch area, you answered a phone and you monitor the radios and stuff, and I, and I was sittin’ there, and all of a sudden I heard Ward say, call for [Bob Perry 21:42] to come to him. He said, “We’re in trouble. We’re in the Paint Department.” So I yelled for the – “All Security, head for the Paint Department, 2nd Floor.” [Inaudible 21:53] and a older guy came down to the desk named [Burgess 21:56], and he said, uh, “What you got?” I said, “I don’t know, but take my place.” Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: I said, “Take my place,” ‘cause I said, “I’ll, I’ll go up there.” So we r-, I ran upstair-, ran, got [inaudible 22:07] to another guy, and we were headed up – [Ramos 22:10] – we headed up on a-, we head up to Paint. Everything was chaotic. Runnin’ around, everybody runnin’ around. So [inaudible 22:17], ya know, you’re runnin’, you’re jump off the doggone [inaudible 22:21]. I said, “What’s going on?” They said, uh, said, “Down there.” So I ran down there and, and got, went to the booth, and, uh, one a the guys yelled at me, “Don’t go down there,” said, “unless you got a Scott Air-Pak on.” I said, “Where’s it at?” and he said, “Down there,” and I looked down there and it was – the on-, the booth [clearings 22:43] was workin’, had been workin’, and the fumes had overtaken’m. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: So the g-, so they said, “Go get some more Scott Air-Paks.” So we went, went ba-, we, I pulled this one, helped this guy named [Tucker 22:56] up, and helped up and go – he was wet... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...and, uh, but the thinner was in the tank... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...in the water, and it was burnin’ him. So we put him on the [ambulance 23:08]. So then I had to run back, oh, probably, oh, about 40 yards and grab two Scott Air-Pak bot-, things, and they were heavy, and I started runnin’ back to the guys and, ya know, ya [swim 23:23] across the ground to get to’m, and so they said, “Take him down to the hospital, and when ya, and when you, uh – by the time that, we’ll get, we’ll get the other guys out.” Well, he had no-, I had no idea who – I should have known, because I’d heard it, but y-, you go blank for a while, because you just, you just know guys in the tank; you didn’t think they were in that kinda trouble. So then we went down – so I took him, uh, we took him down to the hospital and [they got down to the 23:52] hospital and had to take his clothes off and the nurse had to wash him down ‘cause the thinner was burnin’. So we, we went back up. Well then, by that time, we turned around and got – we were back upstairs, and by that time, some more security guards had came. So then we had to go down there and pull them guys up. Then we had to work on’m, we had to do our s-, CPR, [thumping] which was, uh, it was – Ward was black. Tackett was a white but he had a lotta hair on him, he was a – and he had black, black curly hair. Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Lyle McFadden: Um, Clay had blonde hair. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: And we had to pu-, ya know, pull’m up and then take’m with, uh, our su-, but you didn’t realize it until – who it was or anything until you got, you, you would go from one person [thumping] to ano-, rotate one [thumping] one to another. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: Then the, [tapping] the Fire Department come and, and, uh, they put a IV and stuff on the-, when I stood up, [Jones 24:53] turned to me and he said, uh, “Do you know who that is?” and I looked down and these guys are gray. All of’m are gray. The, the, they were, they were, I mean, the paint and lookin’, I mean, they were – and I, you couldn’t tell. I mean, you – and then I recognized when I saw the paramedic and stuff workin’ on’m, I look and I said, “That’s Ward,” I said, and I, I heard that, you know, and, uh, so then, uh, I looked and Perry was, the other foreman was almost gone. He was – and I t-, “Calm down, Bob. Calm down.” I said, “[Inaudible 25:28],” I said, he said, “I don’t know why he went down there in that tank. I don’t know why.” I said, “Hey” – and so then I, then we, w-, we had to leave [inaudible 25:39], uh, [John Dean 25:40] who played football like for – we went to junior high together, he was a chief then, and, uh, he, um, and, uh, he, he had came in, and I told’m, I said, “Hot thinner’s in that tank,” and he said, uh, “Don’t say that,” he said, because, you know, Gener-, it could be a lawsuit and all that stuff, so, I – “Let me tell ya somethin’,” I said. “I worked in Paint,” and I said, “That stuff was burnin’and I, and you, and if you worked with hot thinner and ya turned to talk to somebody, uh, ammonia, it’s like, like a, like a, like a, uh, like ammonia’s comin’ outta your breath... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...and I, that’s how you could tell. So back then, it wasn’t Safety, when I worked in, uh, in Paint. So you, if you strip a car... Marilyn Coulter: Uh-huh. Lyle McFadden: ...you would, uh, either tell a person stripped a car ‘cause you talk and you look around, look and say god-dog, ya know, you could smell that. Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Lyle McFadden: ‘Cause it gets in your pores, yeah. It, it, it would get in your pores. And so then, so then, uh, after that, I had to leave and go back to the dispatch... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...and when I went back to dispatch, I got a call from Clay’s wife and, uh, I was writin’ my reports, and, um, Clay’s wife, and she said, “Lyle,” she said, uh, “The – I got a call, I think it was a prank.” She said, uh, “My, my,” uh – “They say that,” uh, “they” – “for me to go to emergency.” She was gonna have a baby. Marilyn Coulter: Oh no. Lyle McFadden: She had one and she was gonna have another one. And so I told her, I said, “Are you by yourself?” and she said, no-, uh, “Yeah,” and I said, I said, uh, “I mean, somebody could go to the hospital with ya,” and she said, uh, she said yea-, she said, “Yeah, my in-laws live nextdoor.” Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: I said, “Well, I advise you to, you know, have them go with ya. Have’m go with ya.” Well, I didn’t know that he was dead. You know, there was – w-, w-, we had IV on him w-, and stuff, it looked like they were breathin’, but I, but – and, and, um, so then she said, “Okay.” And so she left. Well then, by that time, I’m, I, they, she left and we had, ya know, people were there and, and... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...go ahead and – s-, so then I went to the – I looked up and here come [Steve Ward 27:56], Bob’s brother. He came through the door cryin’, and, uh, he had been to the hospital, and he said, “We was supposed to go see my mother tomorrow.” He said, “Now I gotta down there and tell her that B-, Bob’s dead.” Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: And I – god dang, ya know what I mean? And then I told’m I had, and I had his valuables; you know, his wallet and everything... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...and then I, and then I sit there and he, he was really sh-, he was really goin’. And so then, I mean, it was like one thing after another I guess, and, and then there w-, you know how General Motors is; they came in there, “Did you get in touch with everybody?” Ya know, you have people who didn’t call, show up, who were released, you know what I mean? The people, they p-, I, ya know, people who didn’t come, and everybody’s supposed to come in and ya call’m, and they didn’t; they fired’m or they forced’m to retire. Some had a lotta time. Marilyn Coulter: Yeah. Lyle McFadden: So then, uh, so then, uh, it lasted for, I, lasted a while ‘cause you, you, I’m not supposed to give out information... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...but I did give out some information that, ya know, that, to, I just told the lady told me it’s, uh, ya know, did, did we, did we do, ya know, “I heard that, that, they, uh, let’m die.” I said, “That’s not true.” I said, “I was up there,” and I said, “I worked my butt off tryin’ to help your s-, help your husband,” I said. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: I said. “and I know,” I said, I said, I – “It’s just one a them things,” I said. I said, “I’m sorry. You know, I knew him.” She said, “No, I know. I n-, I believe you did what you could,” and I said, “Yup.” Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: But, uh, it was, um, it was a bad night. Marilyn Coulter: [29:37] How did that night affect or change what you had to do as a Security Guard [throat clearing] [in the future 29:45]? Lyle McFadden: Safety came in. Safety, safety, safety. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: Really, I mean, you – they changed a lotta things; they put in some procedures in place that, ya know, that made it a lot safer. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: Nobody could go in there by theirself; you always had to have a, you have a, [clicking] a ent-, uh, person who ent-, entered the confined space... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...then you have a attendant to watch it, then you have to have a supervisor there. So you had, so he could g-, it, it’s so you can get people out, ya know, and then they start bringin’ in, uh, companies that would suck the, the fluid out. Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Lyle McFadden: See, the, the, the fluid, they said the fluid was, when I looked down there, it was gray, but it was I don’t know how many feet of, y-, it’s... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...ya know, it was... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...[inaudible 30:31] there was some water still in the tank, stuff still in the tank, they used to take out like 5-gallon pails... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...but now they suck all that out, ya know, they suck, they sucked all that out. Marilyn Coulter: So people don’t have to... Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: ...go down there. Lyle McFadden: So they [didn’t have to 30:40] – but the fumes, I guess, was the fumes and stuff would come, it would come, came up and it overtook the guys. Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Lyle McFadden: But it was, um, it was, um, it was, uh – they were young guys, ya know; they were a lot younger than I was, so that kinda really got me. Marilyn Coulter: [30:57] Was that the only fatality that you had to deal with in the plant? Lyle McFadden: Uh, we had – no, I had some – you have some heart attacks, ya know, old-, in the morning, older, older guys would, would come in the morning and after eatin’ a big breakfast, and they, they, they used to have a lot more heart attacks in from around 8, 8, 9, they would, they’d come to work and they would, uh, they would die, they died. [Inaudible 31:25] on the weekend. On Mondays, there’d be – it’d be the big day. Marilyn Coulter: [31:31] So Mondays was a big heart attack day? Lyle McFadden: [throat clearing] Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [31:34] Mondays and in the morning were heart attack times. Lyle McFadden: Yeah. ‘Cause the mornings was – most people, older people worked days. Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Lyle McFadden: So it was, uh, it was, uh, but it was, uh, it was just one a, it was... Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Lyle McFadden: ...it was different. Marilyn Coulter: Yeah. [laughter] Lyle McFadden: Well, it wasn’t, it wasn’t... Marilyn Coulter: [Uh-huh 31:52]. Lyle McFadden: ...it wasn’t like every day... Marilyn Coulter: Yeah, but... Lyle McFadden: ...I mean, you know, but it... Marilyn Coulter: ...did... Lyle McFadden: ...it was, but you remember. Marilyn Coulter: But it’s part of your job... Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: ...that you have to – that’s... Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: ...and that’s a hard part of it. Lyle McFadden: Yeah, and the funny, funny thing is that, probably the funniest part is that y-, you, on, on Fridays... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...or Saturdays you’d, you, you escorted drunks out, and that was kinda funny. Marilyn Coulter: [32:13] And that was funny? Lyle McFadden: Yeah. [laughter] Marilyn Coulter: What made that funny? Just because [throat clearing] [inaudible 32:16]? Lyle McFadden: Because the – uh, these guys, uh, they, they act like they couldn’t, they couldn’t, uh, they couldn’t wait, they couldn’t wait, you know, the, you know, the, to, if, if, they, “This was, but this was Saturday, so I had a few drinks,”... Marilyn Coulter: Uh-huh. Lyle McFadden: ...ya know, but “Ya had more than a few drinks, buddy,” you know. [laughter] You, you, you, you know, then you have to, ya know, oh, uh, I had’m where they’d have people throw up on the floor and you try to keep’m – “Stay still now, stay s-, stay still, don’t, don’t move, don’t move, ‘cause ya move, you’re gonna throw up,” and I’m tryin’ to throw a can over the garbage, or the wastebaskets over there. “Now make sure you throw up in there.” [vomiting sound] All over the floor. Oh god. [laughter] Uh, aw, no. Th-, then, then we, back then, we used to have to escort, ya know, we’d give’m a ride home sometimes. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: Ya know, then they stopped that, they started they had to take a cab... Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Lyle McFadden: ...which was better because guys would, would, they’d jump outta the car. Marilyn Coulter: They’d jump out the car? Lyle McFadden: Yeah. [laughter] They’d, they’d jump out the car. I mean, you stopped, they’d jump out the car. You, nothin’ you could do, [wasn’t really 33:23]... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...a whole lot you could do. Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Lyle McFadden: But, um, no, it was, uh, well, it was, it was, it was interesting, though. Marilyn Coulter: [33:32] Um, did you ever have to deal with altercations? Lyle McFadden: Oh yeah, there’s – fights? Oh yeah. Yeah, you’d, there was, there, they’d have fights. But you, like I said, most a the time, they, you’d just raise your voice and, “Okay, break it up.” Just like that, ya know. “What you doin’? You guys gonna get fired.” [grumbling] That kinda attitude. Marilyn Coulter: [33:55] And they would stop. Lyle McFadden: They usually stopped. Marilyn Coulter: Okay. Lyle McFadden: Most of’m kinda glad that – most guys, just like in school, they, and, uh, in school they, they, they always wanna say they wanna fight but most of’m don’t wanna fight. I go-, I, at, at school, I, kids say, “I’m gonna kick that guy’s ass.” “Go, go, go ahead, go ahead.” [laughter] “Naw, naw.” [laughter] “No, okay. Okay.” ‘Cause you don’t know him. He could, he could, he could kick your butt, so you’d better... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...you’d better keep your mouth shut. Ya know, it’s, it can go both ways. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. [34:26] So, um, what was there – what would you say would be the most rewarding time? Lyle McFadden: Probably, uh, when I got older, retirement. Marilyn Coulter: Retirement? Lyle McFadden: Yeah, or, or, or going to the mall and runnin’ into some a the guys that I, I worked with and then meeting their families... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...and stuff like that there, and that’s kinda nice. That, that’s kinda, that’s kind of a nice thing. Or now I’m reti-, am old, and I go, I go to Grand Ledge or some places and some a the guys who are retired... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...will come up to the fence at the football game and call me and I go over to the fence and shake their hands and I haven’t seen’m in 10, 15 years... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...and, uh, that’s kinda nice. Marilyn Coulter: [35:13] So being part of the salary and things like that, did you look at your, um, co-workers kinda like your family... Lyle McFadden: Oh definitely. Marilyn Coulter: ...[at work 35:22]? Lyle McFadden: Definitely. I st-, we still, we still meet and sometimes have breakfast. When I was in the hospital, I had a bunch of’m come up there, came up to the, came up to the hospital, uh, last year and they see how I was doin’, and I, and I, that was kinda nice. They, the nurse told me, said, “You d-, you have so many people come up here, I can’t believe it,” said that, “but ya know, the – you got, you gotta limit people, ya know, that can come up,”... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...and I said, “Well, I didn’t know I was gonna come up here and I didn’t, so I didn’t really [laughter] have, have time, I didn’t have time to really notify’m that I wasn’t gonna be” – and what I, they, I said, so I said, uh, so, they s-, she said, said “Okay,” so, she said, “I’m gonna help you out,” ‘cause she went to school with my son, and she’d... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...“I’m gonna help gonna help you out.” All right, I thought okay. So I says, eh, so she said, “You can only have so many people,” you know, so... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...she said, “You gotta get well,” [somethin’ like that 36:16]. Marilyn Coulter: [36:16] So um... [papers rustling] Cheryl McQuaid: Cheryl McQuaid. Mr. McFadden, you’ve mentioned that you, um, when you were at the guard checks that you would, uh, check lunchboxes. Lyle McFadden: Yes. Cheryl McQuaid: [36:29 ] What did you check lunchboxes for and what were some a the other things that you were checking for? Lyle McFadden: Uh, you’d ma-, you’d check, uh, the badges when they’re comin’ in. You check, uh, badges and what they were bringin’ in the Plant. Uh, they can’t bring alcohol or [not gonna 36:45] – but, um, when they went out, you had to check in, uh, uh, lunch buckets to make sure that they didn’t take out any General Motors products; you know, any things that belonged to General Motors, like tools or somethin’ like that there. And uh, lotta areas they have, they had little s-, little tools that, uh, people could use at home, and they’d have’m in y-, lunch bucket, ya know, then. Marilyn Coulter: [37:07] Did ya find that very often? Lyle McFadden: Sometimes ya did, but you – most a the time, lotta guys, they, they had a tool that their favorite tool, and they didn’t trust leavin’ it there, and they took it home and they brought it back. But yeah, ya couldn’t, ya can’t do that. Ya couldn’t do it. Just Black & Decker, it was little screwdrivers and stuff like that. Marilyn Coulter: S-... Lyle McFadden: But, uh, but it would be, you know, you could tell when a person was intendin’ to do it and if a person was just [inaudible 37:34]. Marilyn Coulter: [37:34] So being a Security Guard, were there things that made you – what types of things would make you check a person a little bit more closer than another? Lyle McFadden: Well, most a the time you, you could tell. I mean, most a the time you could, when a person s-, start hesitatin’ before he gets to ya, ya know, before he, before he, uh, got to ya, and then he, uh, and then when he, uh, he turned one, ya know, turned sideways or somethin’, tryin’ to – you go, you know, you ask him to step in the Gate House, because he – they, they, they look a little – they act like there’s somethin’ goin’ on. Marilyn Coulter: [38:08] What’s the largest thing you ever caught somebody tryin’ to leave the building with? [throat clearing] Lyle McFadden: A, a si-, um, quarter panel, about – he had it on the side of – it was probably about, about that big, a piece of it, and I saw that he had a varsity jacket on, and I said, I looked at him and I said, I said, “Come here,” and he t-, he – I’ll never forget that, he [came 38:29] and he said “I never did that before, I never st-, [laughter] I’ve never took nothin’ before,” and I said, [laughter] I said, “[Inaudible 38:40], I said, “What, what” – I mean like, I mean it was stickin’ out. It was [laughter] stickin’ out the back, and I – oh, it was a, that was [a thing 38:47], that was another thing. But, uh, I think that one day I come to, ca-, went to work, I – when I was a dispatcher, and a guy was, uh, he was havin’ some problems, and, uh, lady tol-, the dispatcher I relieved told me, said “This guy got f-, some time off,” got some time off, and he had never, he’s a older guy... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...and he had never got time off. He never had no time off... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...and he said, uh, the guy said he’s gonna come – he’s goin’ home, he’s gonna get a gun, and he’s comin’ back. So, somethin’ tells me this ain’t right, and so I call the place [background conversation] and I told’m, and I l-, we had a address book too and I t-, I had his... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...name, so I told the police, and I said maybe it’s just a prank. They caught him on the corner of Martin Luther King and Mt. Hope... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...and he was packin’. Cheryl McQuaid: [God 39:46]. Lyle McFadden: And I said, you know, this, this isn’t a big joke no more, you know? I mean, this is, this is get-, this job is gettin’ a little dangerous, ya know. And then the, the, like I said, th-, then years of the riots it was different. You know, could see people sometimes [coughing] [dro-, dro- 40:03], drove by and threw wood and threw bricks. Yeah, we, we had to make patrols and we’d go up and, and ya, ya, they threw rocks through the window, somebody’d throw rocks [through the window 40:14], ya know, [inaudible 40:15]. Marilyn Coulter: [40:16] They’d throw rocks in the windows? Lyle McFadden: They threw – yeah, they drove by and threw rocks at us, at, uh, Fisher. Marilyn Coulter: Hm. Cheryl McQuaid: Cheryl McQuaid. [40:23] Is that one a the reasons that they blocked up the windows? Lyle McFadden: No, the, the, the guys were, uh, the guys were whistlin’ at the school kids, the girls, and... Cheryl McQuaid: [40:35] The auto workers? Lyle McFadden: The auto workers did. And so, they, uh, they – and then they’d have girls come up to the windows, give’m, bring’m somethin’, like lunch or a bottle a beer, or, and hand it to the – it used to be you could, you could go right out to it, go – they could j-, go sneak through there and go to Harry’s. Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Lyle McFadden: It was a lotta, it was, uh – and it cut down on the heat too, ‘cause it was, uh, they, they blocked it up, but th-, then you could just [inaudible 41:04] out... Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Lyle McFadden: ...back in them days. [laughter] Marilyn Coulter: So I know that, um, on – Fisher Body had Verlinden Elementary on one side and Sexton High School on the other. Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [41:18] Now, there were some things that the Security – you guys helped to – when did they start helping the kids cross at Verlinden? When did that start? Lyle McFadden: Oh, that was, that was before, uh – I, I, I, uh, when I went on in ’66, they were helpin’ kids on the, on down there, crossing guard down there, uh, because it, that was a bad corner, and now they got a crossing guard down there [throat clearing] [on that corner 41:42] you’d s-, people used to fly outta that, outta the parkin’ lot... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...run into the back of each other. They’d, uh, [inaudible 41:49] I mean, they would, I mean, they wouldn’t, and, and you know, in this kinda weather... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...they wouldn’t clean their, the windows would be kinda, they’re waitin’ for the windows to clear up, and they would, they would run in the back of a car in front of’m and everything. Marilyn Coulter: Mm. [42:03] So you guys... Lyle McFadden: And you had to... Marilyn Coulter: ...helped kids cross. Lyle McFadden: ...you had to go out there and, uh, wear a thing to slow down the, slow’m down. Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Cheryl McQuaid: Cheryl McQuaid. [42:13] When the Plant, after the Plant had closed down, we, um, [coughing] were kinda scavenging... Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Cheryl McQuaid: ...to, to try to find memorabilia... Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Cheryl McQuaid: ...for the history team and [coughing] I went down into, I believe they called it The Vault years [coughing] ago... Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Cheryl McQuaid: ...and it was right across from the [coughing]... Lyle McFadden: Security. Cheryl McQuaid: ...Security desk back into a basement [sniffing] area... Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Cheryl McQuaid: ...and there was closets there, it looked like Plant Security closets... Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Cheryl McQuaid: ...when we had our own Plant Security, and I could see the names of different... Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Cheryl McQuaid: ...Plant Security Officers, and we found a stop sign down there... Lyle McFadden: Mm-hm. Cheryl McQuaid: ...that looked like maybe it had been made in the Plant. Lyle McFadden: Uh-huh. Cheryl McQuaid: Was that – do you... Lyle McFadden: That’s what you use... Cheryl McQuaid: ...know what I’m talkin’ about? Lyle McFadden: Y-, yeah. That what we used down there, and we used to leave or clo-, the, we had a drycleaners come in and do the cleanin’, and we used to leave our s-, winter clothes and s-, in, in there, and, and then when winter, we left our summer clothes in there. We, and, uh, we had free drycleaning service, and, uh, and that’s what where we stored, where we stored everything. Cheryl McQuaid: [43:18] So you remember that stop... Lyle McFadden: Oh... Cheryl McQuaid: ...sign? Lyle McFadden: ...oh yeah. Cheryl McQuaid: [43:20] Who made the stop sign? Do you know? Lyle McFadden: Uh, probably [Bob Sonner 43:23]. Cheryl McQuaid: [43:24] And who’s he? Lyle McFadden: He’s dead now, but I said he was a, he used to do a lotta things for us. He worked in, uh, he was a millwright, and he worked for, [coughing] he worked for General Motors, [coughing] for Fisher Body. He did a lotta things like that. Cheryl McQuaid: [43:38] So and that was to help – he did that, he made that sign to help Plant Security do their job and... Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Cheryl McQuaid: ...go out and cross the children... Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Cheryl McQuaid: ...and make sure that the, the... Lyle McFadden: [Yeah 43:45]. Cheryl McQuaid: ...neighborhood children were safe. Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Cheryl McQuaid: Excellent. Lyle McFadden: You probably remember him as, uh, the, the bunny and, uh, he have charities he would, uh, he would dress up... Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Lyle McFadden: ...in a San-, Santa Claus outfit and all that stuff [just for children 43:57]... Cheryl McQuaid: Oh, that’s cool. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...[about summer 43:59], from he lived in Grand Ledge. Marilyn Coulter: Now, [throat clearing] I know that, um, sometimes – Marilyn Coulter – sometimes you, um, the Security Guards have to come up and open employees’ lockers. Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [44:17] Um, when you did that, sometimes did somebody forgot their lock or they just needed to get into somebody’s... Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: ...locker, what was the most interesting thing you found or stumbled upon opening a locker? Lyle McFadden: One day, I opened up a locker in the Building 7 Locker Room, and on my way out, and on my way out, uh, I looked up on the small lockers, and it was full a money. Marilyn Coulter: Full a money? [throat clearing] Lyle McFadden: And I, uh, called up my boss, and he came up there. We locked the do-, locked it back up, but he, well, we locked it back up, but I, I w-, I was lookin’ for somebody to say that somebody went and, uh, ya know, took some money outta there, but nobody ever reported, uh, any money missin’. It w-, ya know, I thought, ya know, that – but I just couldn’t – it was loose. That’s – I never – but it was small bills, 5 and $1 bills and – but it was stuck in there, and, and ya look up there, and it, it, it popped open. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: And I thought, yeah, and ya know, I thought it was as setup, you know; I’m lookin’ around, and somebody gonna see if I’m gonna steal this, take this money [laughter] so, so I... Cheryl McQuaid: Candid Camera was hot then. Lyle McFadden: ...so I, so I looked around and I [inaudible 45:45], but it’s, that’s – and then I, then I, one day, I, I, a, a, a, millwright went and, um, a guy, well, a Sanitation guy found a w-, a w-, a wallet, and, uh, and he had 700, the guy had $700 in it, and, uh, it was like, hmm. I called him up about, I see his address and stuff in there, I call him up about 2 in the morning, and he had told me he lost his wallet. So I say, “Hey,” ya know, “I found, we found your wallet,” and he said, “[Oh did ya, man? Okay 46:18].” I said, “Yeah.” He said, “Oh,” guy says, “Sometime tomorrow I’ll get in there and get it.” [laughter] I was lookin’ at, at, ya know, I’m sayin, you know, most people gonna say, ya know, they go, “Wow,” ya know what I mean? He acted like it was no big deal. Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Lyle McFadden: He, he acted like it’s no big deal, and then I, I’ve seen, I had a homeless, a guy who was, who was, uh, pickin’ up bottles... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...one day, and he went, and he brought in $200, uh, somebody dropped it from, comin’ from, um, Harry’s... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...and I took it and I put it in the lost-and-found. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: I told him, I said, uh, “You know, after 30 days, you can come in and claim that.” We had to find that guy, catch him out there, and bring him down there to get the money. Marilyn Coulter: Really? Lyle McFadden: And he was, and this guy was, I mean, ya know, he, ya know, and I was like this, and, and he come in there, he said, “But it’s not mine.” I said, “Well,” I said, “ya know, you, uh, you, uh, the period of time had went by. You, you”... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...“it’s, now it’s, y-, you can have it.” Because there wasn’t no wallet or nothin’ just only money. Marilyn Coulter: [47:21] Now, speaking of homeless people, I know it sometimes they used to say that people lived inside the Plant, or the people who maybe who didn’t necessarily need to be inside were [then 47:30]. Did you ever run into any people like that? Lyle McFadden: They, there wasn’t that many. There was guys who stayed there, guys who – there was uh, uh, uh, they had a guy who was a Worl-, World War II guy... Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Lyle McFadden: ...who lived on the roof, and, um, he, uh, and he lived, and he stayed in one a the heater houses, and, uh, he would, he would sneak in the railroad gates and go out that way, and they, they, people saw him, and kept, and they kept reportin’ him, but we c-, we thought it was a [inaudible 48:01] or somethin’ ‘cause they said he was dirty. So then they, they, they went and, uh, he came down and s-, stole somebody’s lunch, and they saw him and they called us, and we got him, and he, and they, we took him outside and he was staggerin’, he was really bad, and he was older, it was really bad, and we – the police came and got him, and... Marilyn Coulter: [Oh 48:22]. Lyle McFadden: ...but he, [I believe he was 48:23] a war hero. He was, but he just had a breakdown. But, uh, we had guys who went through divorces who, who lived in, who, who, uh, wouldn’t, wouldn’t live in there, but they would stay in there like if, if they had problems at home, they would stay and they w-, they’ll go in the... Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Lyle McFadden: ...in the locker rooms and lay, and lay on the, lay on the benches there and stay. They could stay on the, they could make sure everything, get on the cushions and stuff, but they’d lay there and, and you’d, and you knew they were there, but they, they couldn’t live there, ya know, y-, they couldn’t stay there. Marilyn Coulter: Had to go home. Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [48:59] So you’ve been through a lot of transitions. Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: [throat clearing] Kinda changin’ boats [throat clearing] here. You went from being a line worker... Lyle McFadden: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: ...and then you became Security... Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: ...and GM was, GM Security’s salary... Lyle McFadden: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: ...but it didn’t change hands to Pinkerton and to Securitas. Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Can you tell us about that transition, how that was for you from going from GM Security to Pinkterton and Security? Was that a big switch on how you did things? How was that going from one company to another? Lyle McFadden: It didn’t change a whole lot what ya, how ya did things, but it was a lot different the money. General Motors paid a lot more money. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: And it was, it was, it, it, I felt I was blessed, so... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...I didn’t, it d-, I, ya know, it didn’t [bother me 49:45]. I – ‘cause when you, I went to General Motors, I st-, you started out real ch-, real low salary... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...and it built up... Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Lyle McFadden: ...and got enormous in the ‘70s... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...ya know? But, uh, you, uh, you, you, you got used to it. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: Ya know? You d-, you, you, you n-, I, uh, the ups and downs, you know, you know that there’s gonna be down times and there... Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Lyle McFadden: ...like when the, when the plant went down or somethin’ like that there when ya, when ya, when they, if ya went, when we went on strike, the str-... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...the strike pay was, uh, $6 a week. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: So you didn’t wanna go on strike too much. Unemployment was – the first time I went unemployment I think it was 20-somethin’ dollars a week. Then it went up to $30. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: So, it wasn’t a – you didn’t wanna, you didn’t want the Plant to go down. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: Ya know, [inaudible 50:40]. Marilyn Coulter: [50:43] Uh, speaking of strikes, how was that – how did that affect your job when the UAW went on strike and when you – and as a... Lyle McFadden: N-, n-... Marilyn Coulter: ...Security Guard? Lyle McFadden: ...n-, not – me it didn’t, it, it, I, I, uh, they had, uh, better s-, s-, uh, strike benefits when I was, when, when... Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Lyle McFadden: ...when they were, when, when, when I – after I went out, uh... Marilyn Coulter: Uh, no, I meant as a Security Guard. Lyle McFadden: That what I meant, I said it was, so you didn’t have the animosity, you know, people were pissed off... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...ya know. I mean, now, person get laid off, they’re not mad, you know. Back when... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...I was workin’ and you got laid off, I mean, you’re gonna, your, your money got... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...[sayin’ 51:21], ya know... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...and I said, but, uh, now, I said then I’d stop and talk to’m, you know, talk to the guys and, ya know, we’d – and... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...I knew most of’m, a lot of’m. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: [Inaudible 51:31] so, it was, uh, but you didn’t get any, you know, no, no – well, you got a – I, I think I only had like five, four or five bomb threats in my life. And I said that that’s, that’s a different experience. Marilyn Coulter: [51:47] They call into and threat to the Plant? Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Wow. Lyle McFadden: Oh, yeah, uh – you didn’t know that? Marilyn Coulter: Well, I knew we had’m. Lyle McFadden: Oh yeah. Marilyn Coulter: I knew we had evacuations and... Lyle McFadden: No, they had, they, they didn’t evacuate when [inaudible 52:00] when I, the first I went on there, and, and they, they just kept, they, they, you know what I mean, they, you know, like “Aw, he’s just bullshittin’.” I mean, that’s kinda [inaudible 52:11], but when, when they, when people start gettin’ a little crazier, then they start, they start really, ya know, we, we, we evacuate this plant. I don’t think – I think Fisher Body only been evacuated about two times, hasn’t it? [Not very many times 52:28]. [throat clearing] Got a guy who called me up and told me he was gonna – then they, we got a [recorder clicking] form you have to, ya know, uh, [tapping] it’s fu-, kind of a funny form because it says, uh – you’re supposed to, you know, you try to keep’m on the phone, talk to’m. I’d [bullstuff’m 52:44], you know, I... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...but then they ask you what color the guy is, ya know, what nationality he is [laughter] and [all that stuff there 52:50]. Well, you know, they had a accent or somethin’ like that there, but you, you, but you, you’re sittin’ up there talkin’ to the guy while a, uh, a guy called and, and he had told me he’s gonna blow up the plant. He said he, that he, he used to work there. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: So I’m talkin’ to’m and I said, uh, he says, “Well, do you know where the bomb is?” and he said, “What you tryin’ to do, catch me?” I said, “No,” I said, “because I got,” I told him, I said, you know, I said, “I coach at Sexton and I got a game this weekend. I’d hate to get blown up.” [laughter] He said, “Oh, it’s at the north end,” he said, “It’s out,” he says, “it’s by the, it’s b-, it’s out by the, by the par-, the [Park Map 53:28], towards Saginaw. I said, “Oh, you mean toward Saginaw, huh?” I’m just talkin’ to him and we’re, we just, you know, and gettin’ it on, uh... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...a tape. I said, uh, I said, “Yeah, [anything 53:38],” and I said, yeah, and then I said, “You didn’t go to, you didn’t go to Sexton, did ya?” He said, “No, I’m not from around here,” and I go, “Oh, because I just, I just want to know,” I said, you know how it goes, I said, I, I, I said kids would be disappointed if I didn’t show up, uh, [probably 53:53] [laughter], oh, ya know, oh, ya know? It was kind, it was, it was kinda, it was kinda funny, but it w-, [laughter] it wasn’t funny because I – and then, so I told, uh, [sighing] the, the boss to go down, and [Martin 54:03] was a Plant Mana-, Assistant Plant Manager then, and he said, “What do you think we should do?” I said, “If you had said it was down this” – if he had said it was down in this area here, I’d say “Evacuate this sucka now.” [laughter] I said, I said, I said, “Cryin’ out loud, if it’s, if it’s this close, I wanna get outta here.” Marilyn Coulter: Uh-huh. Lyle McFadden: But no, it was a, that was kinda funny, but it wasn’t – we didn’t, we didn’t, we – and we, then we used to go look for’m; we’d look for bomb, which was I think a little different now, we bring in people. Marilyn Coulter: Now you bring people in. Lyle McFadden: Yeah. You go look in the wastebaskets and stuff and it’s kinda st-, that was kinda dumb, I mean, ‘cause if it was... Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Lyle McFadden: ...a bomb, ya know, y-, you’re g-, you gonna die. [laughter] Marilyn Coulter: [54:46] So I know that, um, you’ve done a lot for employees. Now, you said you also, um, coach at the schools? Lyle McFadden: Yeah, at Sexton. Marilyn Coulter: [54:55 ] And you still coach there? Lyle McFadden: Yup. I got into the Hall of Fame this past, past year. Marilyn Coulter: Oh congratulations. Cheryl McQuaid: Yay. [clapping] Marilyn Coulter: Yay. Lyle McFadden: That was kinda... Marilyn Coulter: Excellent. Lyle McFadden: ...[inaudible 55:05], I had, I had, uh, I started, uh, [Magic 55:10] and [J Events 55:10] and I, I had quite a few of the big things. Marilyn Coulter: [55:15] So um, you played, uh, the Peewee Leagues and the... Lyle McFadden: I, I, I still work with Peewee, but s-, go most of the time at Sexton. Marilyn Coulter: At Sexton. Lyle McFadden: Yeah, ‘cause I... Marilyn Coulter: And... Lyle McFadden: ...back when I was y-, when I was younger, I, I could do both, both of’m. Marilyn Coulter: [55:30] So you, um, you, um, set there and, um, you coached there, and so, in total, about how many years would you say you’ve been t-, coachin’? Lyle McFadden: Mm, probably 30. Marilyn Coulter: For 30 years. Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: So actually for 30 years you’ve had not one job, not two jobs, but three jobs. Lyle McFadden: Well, that, [laughter] yeah, that – I don’t call coaching a real job, you know. Marilyn Coulter: That’s a pleasure. Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Um... Cheryl McQuaid: [56:01] Mr. McFadden – Cheryl McQuaid – um, I always heard, and I’m, I’m hopin’ that you... Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Cheryl McQuaid: ...can tell me whether or not there’s any truth to this, but I’ve always heard that the houses around the Sexton and Fisher Body area were built for Fisher Body executives. Do you know anything about that or? Lyle McFadden: No, I, I, I don’t remember that. Now, like, um, oh, my brother graduated from Sexton in ’46... Cheryl McQuaid: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...my oldest brother, and, uh, there wasn’t that many hou-, there was over here [papers rustling] by the park and everything, there were woods. I [papers rustling] remember comin’ here and there were woods over there. They wouldn’t build, it wasn’t built up in there. But, uh, a lot of your, lotta your big wheels, uh, lived on, on, on, around Everett Drive in there, them houses in there, they were, but, uh, they – I don’t know if they were General Motors executives or not because – and back then, I know, I said, I said, uh, I said I don’t – I don’t remember ex-, the exact [inaudible 57:08] some pe-, lotta people from – uh, like foremans and stuff lived in there, and um, people worked in the office, ‘cause they could walk to work. But, uh, uh, I remember a lotta doctors that had houses on, that, that, ‘cause I went to school with their kids and stuff, but, uh, uh, it was, um, I, um, them houses been there a long time, so that was – I remember bein’ – I was in j-, uh, grade school w-, I w-, I went to Willow, but we used to come to Sexton and, uh, on Saturday, ‘cause, uh, the coaches would open up the gym and let ya play, ya know, play basketball and stuff, and I remember going through there and all the – there wasn’t very m-, all, the houses weren’t that close together. They’d have a lotta lots and stuff. And then all of a sudden they start fillin in them lots. Cheryl McQuaid: [57:59] Another thing that I’ve heard about... Lyle McFadden: Mm-hm. Cheryl McQuaid: ...Fisher Body is that there are tunnels all under there. I’ve heard that there’s a tunnel that goes to Harry’s, there’s a tunnel that goes... Lyle McFadden: No. Cheryl McQuaid: ...downtown. Lyle McFadden: No. Cheryl McQuaid: Are there any tunnels under there, and if there are, where do they go? Lyle McFadden: They, they’re the, the, the steam tunnels. Cheryl McQuaid: Oh, steam tunnels? Lyle McFadden: Yeah, that’s what you see the, when ya, when ya see all that steam comin’ outta the ground. They run from, they run from, uh, [clanking] Building 13 to the powerhouse... Cheryl McQuaid: [58:30] Building 13 bein’ 3X? Is that... Lyle McFadden: It would be... Cheryl McQuaid: ...Building 13? Lyle McFadden: ...it would be, used to be there were 15 and, uh, 13 is that’s where, that’s where they downwards and it ran, it ran to the, it ran to the powerhouse, and then, then it ran, uh, and then they got one that run over the [fit over the holes 58:46]. [clanking] That’s the one that you see goin’ to the parking lot over here, and you go down Martin Luther King, you see steam comin’ up. [tapping] [Right now 58:54] it’s the, it’s the steam f-, it’s a steam tunnel we call it. And they, they, and they, uh, they, uh, [clanking] that’s what the, that’s, that’s, that’s the tunnels that they’re [usually talkin’ about 59:06]. I said, uh, but it’s, it’s not – we had, we had people go down there. W-, I mean, like we, you’re supposed to go down there with a partner. I went down there one time when they had a leak and it’s not nice; it’s real slimy, slippery down there, and, uh, you go, you know, they, when they worked down there, you had to have a – just like goin’ into confined space, but, um, it’s not, uh, it’s not, uh, it’s, it’s like, it’s, it’s not a tunnel just to get the – you’re never gonna hear [inaudible 59:36] [laughter] they’d never make a tunnel that go to Harry’s. Yeah, but I said, but no, it, it did go to, go to the Power House, because that’s where the tu-, the steam ran. The steam ran from the P-, Power House up into the Plant. Cheryl McQuaid: [59:53] And one more thing. Um, they used to say that we made our own power and sold our excess to Board of Water and Light. Do you know anything about that? Lyle McFadden: Uh, we, uh, we used to do – I don’t know if we, I don’t know if we sold it to Board a Water Ladada, but I knew we, we used to have our own, p-, w-, we had coal furnaces and they, they used to, uh, you could go by there and they would see the, see them puttin’ coal in, and they had coal piles out there that they – big ol’ bulldozers pushin’ the coal into the – I said, well I didn’t know if they sold it to Board a Water and Light or not. I think Bord a Water and Light do all of it now, don’t they? They do all... Cheryl McQuaid: Yeah. Lyle McFadden: ...they do all [inaudible 60:32]... Cheryl McQuaid: I believe so. Lyle McFadden: ...yeah. Cheryl McQuaid: Yup. Lyle McFadden: Yeah. [tapping] But I said I was a, I said I didn’t, I didn’t know about sellin’ it and [inaudible 60:44]. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. [60:48] Uh, Mr. McFadden... Lyle McFadden: Mm-hm. Marilyn Coulter: ...uh, Marilyn Coulter – you grew up in Lansing, you’ve been here all your life. Lyle McFadden: Yes. Marilyn Coulter: And Fisher Body’s been here for all your life. Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Now that, as we know, it is getting ready to go... Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: ...what’s your thoughts about that? Lyle McFadden: It was like losin’ a real close friend. I, people [audio cut out] I mean, nobody really believe that... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm, mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...that they were gonna get rid of, uh... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...uh, Fisher Body. I [audio skipping] mean, they said this was back [inaudible 61:24] the ’60s they, when they, they gonna get rid of, you know, and I said I [audio skipping] and now I just can’t believe that, you know, that when I, I, I, I, I was workin’ the night to last they took those [audio skipping] security off [a the gate 61:40]. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: Ya know, the gate, that gate’s [over there 61:42] and they locked’m up and I can... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...I c-, I just couldn’t believe it. I told, I, I, I told the guys that used to work with, ya know, I worked over there... Marilyn Coulter: Uh-huh. Lyle McFadden: ...and they’d say [inaudible 61:51] “Can you believe it?” I said, “No, I never thought I’d ever see.” Now, one, it’s different because they’re, they’re [addin’ 61:58] [audio skipping] the new plant now is, uh, um... Marilyn Coulter: [62:03 ] So when you... Lyle McFadden: ...the Grand River Plant... Marilyn Coulter: ...speak of one, you’re speakin’ of the old Oldsmobile factory. Lyle McFadden: The real Olds. The... Marilyn Coulter: The original, [oh I see 62:08]. Lyle McFadden: ...original Olds. Marilyn Coulter: Ah. Lyle McFadden: They start, they, they tore some a that down and they increased it... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...that, what do ya call that, uh, Grand River [inaudible 62:16]... Cheryl McQuaid: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Lyle McFadden: ...Grand River Plant. So, ya, so, back there it sounded like General Motors... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...but you don’t really think a General Motors gettin’ rid of a whole plant. Marilyn Coulter: [62:25] Now, and now, that’s as an ex-employee, but now you live on Lahoma. Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Lahoma’s not far from Fisher Body. Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: Being a neighbor, living in a neighborhood where the factory was, what was that like? Lyle McFadden: Nice. I coulda walked to work if I wanted. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. [laughter] I know at one time they had plants and neighbors were – had problems with the emissions and... Lyle McFadden: Very few... Marilyn Coulter: ...the sounds... Lyle McFadden: ...very few people. Marilyn Coulter: Very few... Lyle McFadden: I was a, I, I was a dispatcher, and it would be, uh, it would be the same person who smelled somethin’... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...that, that... Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: ...that I talked [too loud 63:09]. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: They were, they, the, they could hear me give the Line Time, and, uh, so... Cheryl McQuaid: Oh. [laughter] Lyle McFadden: ...I said, “Oh, I’ll tr-, I’ll tr-, I’ll tr-, I’ll, oh, [inaudible 63:19], that’s my fault. I’ll do it”... Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Lyle McFadden: ...“I’ll do it different.” Marilyn Coulter: Ya know, you, um, said somethin’ that brings back a, a memory for me. Lyle McFadden: Uh-huh. Marilyn Coulter: ...and, um, you were the dispatch person and bein’ a person on the line... Lyle McFadden: Yeah. Marilyn Coulter: ...you always announced Line Time, because for many of us, you were considered to be The Voice. Lyle McFadden: Uh-huh. [laughter] Marilyn Coulter: And if you would, please, for those people, could you announce the Line Time in... Lyle McFadden: The Line Time for the night shift is: C-Line, 9 hours; B-Line, 8.8. Repeat: C-Line, 9 hours; B-Line, 8.8. Marilyn Coulter: And that was the voice. [laughter] Lyle McFadden: And I... Marilyn Coulter: Yeah. Lyle McFadden: ...and it was kinda, it was nice. It was... Marilyn Coulter: [Inaudible 64:09]. Lyle McFadden: ...it was a good job. Marilyn Coulter: We always knew there, um – you were always one that we could understand exactly how long we were [goin’ 64:16]. [laughter] It didn’t sound like we were being [inaudible 64:18]. Lyle McFadden: Oh, when, when I cut it short, though, I got people sayin’ little nasty things, and they go – I – they thought I, I controlled the Line Time. Marilyn Coulter: Ah. Lyle McFadden: “Cryin’ out loud, this is a heck of a time. It’s a doggone holiday and you’re workin’ us overtime.” [grumbling] [laughter] I – “Uh, okay. [laughter] Have a, ha-, have a good week. [laughter] Have a good weekend [laughter].” John Fedewa: See ya. [laughter] Marilyn Coulter: Mr. McFadden, is there anything that you’d like to share with people that we haven’t touched on? Lyle McFadden: Oh, I guess, I enjoyed my years at General Motors and I – my, like I said, my, one a my sons started at, uh, Fisher Body. He’s in, he’s in Flint now. He’s on Skilled Trades down there. But, uh, I, I, it’s been good to my family and they’re good to me. Marilyn Coulter: Mm-hm. Lyle McFadden: So I don’t have no, I have no regrets. I j-, like I said, I j-, kinda hurt that they, they w-, when they tear it, that, that’ll hurt, but you – I’ll surpr-, you’ll be surprised the amount of people that came back just to see the place when they heard that it was the last day. Marilyn Coulter: Oh. Lyle McFadden: I, I, [door squeaking], I didn’t go over, but I saw people that came by and the, the [assembly 65:31], and they said they went up and [door closing] looked at the old area, ya know... Marilyn Coulter: Mm. Lyle McFadden: ...and they said that a lotta people, they, they were [inaudible 65:37]. Marilyn Coulter: Well, thank you for sharing your memories with us. Lyle McFadden: Oh [inaudible 65:44]. Cheryl McQuaid: Thank you so much... John Fedewa: Thank you very much. Cheryl McQuaid: ...sir. Lyle McFadden: Uh-huh. Okay. [recorder clicking] /rt