In
1971, while I was a student at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale,
Illinois, I started a small T-Shirt business. The 'big thing' then was placing
lettering on shirts. One afternoon a customer, John Belushi, came in and wanted
college placed on a navy blue sweatshirt. I was puzzled by this. I questioned
him thinking he meant SIU (Southern Illinois University). He said no, just
college. It didn't sink in, and again I asked if he meant Salukis (the mascot).
He replied, college. I gave him some paper and asked him to write down exactly
what he wanted on his shirt. I thought this was a bit peculiar, but I didn't
question him any further.
John and I became acquainted after his visit to my store. I would run into him
quite often. I would see him at The Club, a local watering hole in Carbondale.
I learned never to have a beer in my mouth when he spoke, you could choke.
John had one theater course at SIU, as an elective. His brother, Jim, was a
theater major at SIU.
John wore the shirt I made him in the 1978 movie "Animal House". John Belushi
was a really good guy that I once knew. God bless him!
-Van H. Anderson, owner of Gusto's Graphics
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