1987-1989 Mitch’s first job as an attorney took him to a law firm in Fort Wayne. He and Mary moved from Valparaiso to the Summit City late in December 1987 with the help of several friends, including all of the Dudes. The two them spent about four or five years in their new digs and… Read More The Offer (I’m Glad) I Didn’t Refuse: Night of the Irregular Shoes
The camping trips to Brown County continued unabated over the next seven years. Starting with our third year in 1988, we began holding two trips per year, once in the spring and once more in the fall. Several more people joined the fold as some of us invited friends, family, or coworkers. Many of the… Read More The Offer (I’m Glad) I Didn’t Refuse: Graduation and Short Legs
1988 Two things that on the surface seemed completely unrelated happened during the months following the second camping trip. 1) I found myself being drawn closer and closer to the Catholic faith. 2) Paul began dating Suzie. About the former: The emotions I experienced near the end of the Mass at Brown County opened my… Read More The Offer (I’m Glad) I Didn’t Refuse: Suzie and Conversion
1985-1987 A few weeks after our weekend trip to see Chris and Steph, Mitch left Muncie to return to Valparaiso to continue his education. The Dudes continued our weekly stops at Manor’s and Waffle House. During the months of the baseball off-season, our discussions turned from mostly baseball to mostly learning more about our pasts.… Read More The Offer (I’m Glad) I Didn’t Refuse: A Sign of Peace
Chris showed up at The Stabilizer at about half-past my fourth Stroh’s. Before Chris could arrive though, we were introduced to his girlfriend, Steph. Steph was extremely outgoing, friendly, and conversational. In other words, she was my near-opposite. The other guys warmed up to Steph immediately. I found her likeable enough, but my shyness and… Read More The Offer (I’m Glad) I Didn’t Refuse: Let’s Go Ghostbusting!
While my friendship with The Dudes was broadening and growing deeper, the opposite could almost be said of most of my old friendships from Yorktown. At best, most of my connections to my alma mater were stagnating. At worst, they completely fell apart. It was through no one’s fault that the dissolution was happening and… Read More The Offer (I’m Glad) I Didn’t Refuse: To New Friends
Kevin, Paul, Joe, and I were willing to spread the joy of our presence to other popular establishments. Oftentimes, we would leave Manor’s at a decent hour to run over to the nearby Waffle House for a late night cup of coffee. It wasn’t long before we were spending the entire evening there dining on… Read More The Offer (I’m Glad) I Didn’t Refuse: You Don’t Have a Hair
Kevin, Paul, Joe, and I were virtually inseparable for several years. Whether it was watching Indiana University basketball on the television or listening to the Cincinnati Reds on radio at Paul’s apartment, or attending the hydroplane races down at the Madison Regatta where Paul went swimming in the Ohio River, there was an excellent chance… Read More The Offer (I’m Glad) I Didn’t Refuse: Do You Smell Her Spoor On Me?
1985 Mike was gone by the summer of ‘85. He had applied for, and was accepted into, the Indianapolis Fire Department. Shortly before he moved into an apartment complex on Indy’s west side, he asked Kevin and me to take care of Dee while she stayed behind in Muncie. Our shrinking group was now down… Read More The Offer (I’m Glad) I Didn’t Refuse: Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
True to his word and much sooner than I anticipated, Kevin called me the next week. He asked me if I wanted to join him that Saturday night in going to a graduation party. After meeting him at Kings Corner, he drove us to the party in his 1973 Malibu Classic. It was a beauty… Read More The Offer (I’m Glad) I Didn’t Refuse: Dollar Pitcher Night and the Impossible
A Lifetime Ago in a Neighborhood Now Far Away 