About Jim C.
Jim has lived at Selinsgrove Center for 57 years.
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Lives Lived Apart interview with Jim C. recorded April 11, 2015
SHAWN'S COMMENTS: "I saw how [Jim] took what he had and he was happy. He made me appreciate life more. He was such a blessing.
I was downtown coming from my internship and I saw this kid with Downs Syndrome and some people was just laughing at him. And I'm like, "this has got to stop." It reminded me of the poster that was hanging on the wall [at Selinsgrove] that said the "R" word [retarded] is not used there at all. And Jim told me, if people use the "R" word, that they'd get in really deep trouble. And that reminds me of how far we've come, but how far we have to go so that everybody, like Jim or myself, can live in this world, this country, this nation, and help make it better."
Lisa: When I hit record, testing one two three, testing. Testing one two three. Testing one two three. I can hear. OK? So if you can hear it through the recorder you're good to go.
Staff: So who's meant to wear the ear buds? Anybody?
Lisa: You can just check in the beginning. That's good enough. Alright so we're going to set some sound levels. So first, Shawn, I'd like you to just speak in your normal speaking tone.
Shawn: Hi Jim.
Jim: Hi.
Lisa: OK and hold on. I'm going to turn your level up a little bit and we're going to try it again. You don't have to lean into the mic. You can sit back. You're totally fine. We want you to relax.
Shawn: Hi Jim.
Jim: Hi.
Lisa: OK and Jim, can you tell me what you had for lunch?
Jim: Fish sandwich.
Lisa: How was it? Was it good?
Jim: Pretty good, yes.
Lisa: Awesome. OK so you can see here the numbers are going up and we're recording. I'm going to turn the volume up just a little bit more and I know it's boring but could you tell me what you had for lunch again, Jim?
Jim: Fresh fries and fish.
Lisa: Nice and the fish. That looks great and Shawn, can you speak in your normal voice?
Shawn: I had a fish sandwich.
Lisa: You had a fish sandwich. Alright I think you guys are great. I'm going to turn off the recorder.
Shawn: Hi Jim. My name is Shawn.
Jim: How are you doing buddy?
Shawn: Good. Hi Miss Celia.
Celia: And I'm Celia.
Shawn: You are Celia, huh?
Celia: I am and can you tell us who you are?
Jim: Jim Corsen.
Shawn: Jim Corsen. OK. So... We are at Selinsgrove on April the 11th.
Jim: 11th, yeah.
Shawn: So, Jim, where was you born at?
Jim: I don't know. I don't know what that is.
Celia: You don't remember?
Jim: No.
Shawn: No?
Jim: No.
Shawn: OK so what was your favorite childhood memory?
Jim: I don't know. I don't know what it was.
Shawn: No? So who's your favorite... do you remember going to school?
Jim: A long time ago.
Shawn: Yeah. What do you remember about school?
Jim: No more. Ain't a school. It's a training center now.
Shawn: OK.
Celia: What is it now?
Jim: Training center.
Celia: Training center. Oh, did you used to go to school there?
Jim: Yeah.
Shawn: Oh.
Celia: So it used to be a school and now it's a training center.
Shawn: OK.
Jim: Yes it was.
Shawn: How do you like your job?
Jim: Pretty good.
Shawn: Good?
Jim: Yeah.
Shawn: Can you tell me a little bit more about your job?
More of Jim C.'s interview
Jim:
Shawn: Cool. OK.
Jim: What are you doing with that paper, buddy?
Celia: He's reading questions.
Jim: OK.
Shawn: I want to know more about you.
Jim: You do?
Shawn: Yep. So what's your favorite thing to do?
Jim: A lot of stuff to do, yeah.
Shawn: You like to do a whole lot of stuff?
Jim: Yeah.
Shawn: Like a whole lot of stuff. Can you tell me your favorite thing?
Celia: What's your favorite thing to do here?
Jim: Here?
Celia: What's your favorite thing to do at Selinsgrove?
Jim: Paint.
Shawn: Paint? OK so you like to paint?
Jim: Yeah.
Shawn: Yeah.
Jim: Painting is fun. It's fun.
Shawn: Paint, so what was the last thing you painted?
Jim: Oh, I painted something... a bird.
Shawn: Oh so the last thing you painted was a bird?
Jim: Yep.
Shawn: Nice. What is a normal workday for you?
Jim: Mondays.
Shawn: Mondays?
Jim: That's when I work.
Shawn: Nice, cool, and what do you like about your job?
Jim: It pays good. You get paid.
Shawn: Cool. Really cool. Jim, so who is someone important in your life?
Jim: Oh a lot of people are, a lot of people are.
Shawn: So out of all of those people who is your favorite?
Jim: Favorite? There's too many. Tall guy who used to work here. He retired.
Shawn: What was his name?
Jim: I don't know his name. He retired. He was a worker. He's from Spain.
Shawn: Spain?
Jim: The guy...
Shawn: OK. So who's your favorite football team?
Jim: Pittsburgh Steelers.
Shawn: OK, who's your favorite players?
Jim: Roethlisberger.
Shawn: Roethlisberger? Oh, OK and what..
Jim: Here's your paper buddy.
Shawn: Thank you and what position do he play on the team?
Jim: The quarterback.
Shawn: Oh, OK so he's the quarterback.
Jim: I see how it works now.
Shawn: It's fine, Jim, but I want to know more about you buddy so who's...
Jim: (inaudible)
Shawn: So how long did you work at Selinsgrove?
Jim: You've got to work hard around here, buddy.
Shawn: Really hard, OK.
Jim: Yep.
Shawn: What is something that you always wanted to do?
Jim: Want to do, huh?
Shawn: Yep. What is something on your to-do list that you want to do?
Jim: A lot of stuff. I see how it works now.
Shawn: Yep but now I want to get a...
Jim: What's his name?
Shawn: My name is Shawn.
Jim: I know, Shawn.
Shawn: Nice to meet you buddy.
Jim: Yep. Shawn.
Shawn: Like what do you do for fun?
Jim: Oh, sit outside sometimes, sit outside.
Shawn: Oh, so you sit outside? OK.
Jim: Those chairs. Tricky chairs.
Shawn: Yeah. What's your favorite game?
Jim: I don't play games.
Shawn: OK. Let's get back to you buddy. What's your favorite game?
Jim: A lot of games.
Shawn: OK. What's your favorite board game?
Jim: I don't like board games. I like football, baseball. Baseball.
Shawn: Oh so you play baseball?
Jim: One time I did.
Shawn: OK. Cool and what's your favorite TV show?
Jim: I don't watch TV at night.
Shawn: At night?
Jim: No.
Shawn: No?
Jim: I work there, son.
Shawn: Good buddy. What's your favorite color?
Jim: Huh?
Shawn: What's your favorite color?
Jim: Red. You got a green shirt too.
Shawn: oh, OK.
Jim: Color...
Shawn: So you... OK I want to get back to you. What's your favorite... what's your favorite food?
Jim: Favorite food? Macaroni and cheese.
Shawn: Mac and cheese? Mm, that's good.
Jim: You like mac and cheese, you like it?
Shawn: Yeah. So what's your favorite soda?
Jim: Soda pop?
Shawn: Yeah. So what's your favorite soda?
Jim: Pepsi.
Shawn: Pepsi?
Jim: Yeah.
Shawn: OK what's... when is your birthday?
Jim: I don't know. I don't know when that is.
Shawn: When is your birthday?
Jim: I don't know.
Shawn: No?
Jim: No, I don't know.
Shawn: OK. What is something that really makes you happy?
Jim: Yeah...
Shawn: OK.
Jim: What's your name?
Shawn: Shawn.
Jim: Hi Shawn.
Shawn: Hi Jim, how are you?
Jim: Pretty good. We're buddies.
Shawn: Huh?
Jim: We're buddies.
Shawn: Yeah, we are buddies.
Jim: Are we?
Shawn: Yeah.
Jim: I see how it works now, I see how it works.
Shawn: So let me just... Is there anything else that you want to tell me?
Jim: No, that's it.
Celia: Is there anything else about living here...
Jim: It's been a lot of years.
Celia: How many?
Shawn: About how many years?
Jim: A lot of years.
Shawn: A lot of years?
Jim: Yep.
Shawn: So what do you like about living here?
Jim: Peace and quiet around here. OK.
Shawn: Peace and quiet. So what is about peace and quiet that you like?
Jim: Sitting in my chair in my room, sitting in my chair.
Shawn: Sitting in your chair in your room?
Jim: Yep. I've got two chairs now.
Shawn: You've got two chairs?
Jim: Yep, two chairs now.
Shawn: OK.
Jim: It works.
Shawn: It works fine. Do you have anything else that you want to talk to me about?
Jim: No.
Shawn: No? OK. Thanks Jim.
Jim: I see how it works now. I see how it works.
Photos by JJ Tiziou
A Fierce Kind of Love has been supported by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage.