THE LUNCH BUNCH
By Duncan
Yesterday, I had a most pleasant lunch with a bunch of 1962 Pike High School ClassMates. Joby Bennett-Calhoon (from a different class) was kind enough to take the class picture so I could be in the shot.
(Click on the picture to enlarge if you use a desktop computer.)
Bell-Sacks-Morrow-Kittle-Herrin-Dixon-Etchison-Sutphin
Flexman-Mrs. Sacks-Bennett-Duncan-Lovel-Mrs. Dixon-Sanders
I sent the picture to my list of Pike people and realized several on my email list have left us. I got a message from a Service Provider that my email could not be delivered. I have not removed the deceased person from my personal email database. Or someone has changed their email address, and their old email address is no longer valid.
But the hard part is knowing a classmate has left, and I look at the name and try to decide whether to delete the person or simply leave them in my files. My files have little notes under their names; some of the notes are from the last time we got together, or a Christmas Card was sent. Or I may have received a Christmas Card. (I had to scramble to send them one before Christmas.)
Even though they are gone, It’s a life I don’t want to let go of. Every person in this picture has a grand story behind their life. I will let them tell you their own story, for I have been warned about me trying to tell you their story.
It’s a common problem for “people of our age.” We seem to be going to more “Celebrations of Life” than “Baby Showers.” I don’t think I have ever been to a “Baby Shower.” Not that there's anything wrong with a “Baby Shower.”
If you read this “Blog” and most of you don’t. You will know I’ve decided to turn my attention to my real friends. What does that mean? It means Facebook and other social media where it’s fashionable to have 300-500-1000 friends is not really important at my “Age.”
So, I go to lunch and talk face-to-face with people. It’s more rewarding than a “Thumbs Up” on my computer screen. But I also know my personal demographic. I choose to live my life my way, finally. It has taken a while for me to accept “ME.” I have no one to impress anymore. Plus, I don’t think I could go back into the world of business with my current attitude about the world. I can only assume this is a natural progression.
It’s a question a lot of us are asking ourselves. “What do you want to do with the rest of your life? And there are as many answers as there are people. I had to laugh at several comments at lunch yesterday. Some are volunteering their time, some are playing golf, some are content to stay at home, and some travel to Florida for the winter. It was fun to see each person excited about their own lifestyle.
And I noticed it's also easier to talk about our mistakes or failures. Health concerns seem to be a focus for all of us. We fall and break our bodies. We need hearing aids. We need new glasses, our feet hurt, and my back has been giving me problems. I just lost a loved one. A friend of mine just died. If we talk about those who have gone on before us, it is said, “They are still alive and very much a part of our lives.”
Joe
I have fun on Thursdays. I have a friend who lives behind me, and he lost his wife a couple of years ago. We enjoy eating lunch together off and on Thursdays. Joe is a crusty old man who wants life dealt to him his way. But he is a lot of fun. He likes Sahm’s Restaurant. He called me to make sure I was scheduled to have lunch with him last Thursday. We have missed each other for a couple of weeks, so we needed to get together.
We slide into a booth in the bar at Sahm’s, and Amy swings by to take our drink order. I ordered water. Joe looks at me with a “What The Hell," look on his face, “WATER?" Which means this is going to be a drinking lunch. Joe is a real pleasure to have as a friend. So we get to drinking, telling stories, laughing, and having a grand time. The girls who work in the place enjoy Joe, too. And they slide into the booth to say, “Hi!”
Jane - Joe
Joe is that kind of guy. I was telling Joe about my Road Trip to Spencer, Indiana, and the place I found down there for lunch called Chambers Smorgasbord. And Joe, out of the blue, says,
“I want to go to that place. Can we go next Thursday?
“Joe, Chambers Smorgasbord doesn’t serve alcohol or beer; you sure you want to go there?”
“He gave a little thought and said we can have a couple before we go!!!”
We will see if that happens next week. I think he will change his mind.
I also wrote a story about the beginning of the “Hamburger” called “Where is Beef.” And I want to visit two hamburger places in Indiana, both started in the 20s and still operating today. The Triple X, West Lafayette, Indiana. I need to find out how the Triple X got its name.
The Triple X
And a place in Hammond, Indiana, called Miner-Dunn. Harold Miner and Ralph Dunn - opened the place in 1929 with $80.00 and a couple of bar stools. and it’s still going today.
Miner-Dunn (Harold Miner and Ralph Dunn - 1929)
So, a couple of short road trips are on the list of places to visit. And who knows where I will end up in the next few weeks.
