I-65 south from Crown Point travels in a direct line for 72 miles before a hint of a hill or curve appear. Once you make it to Lafayette more hills and curves appear to break the monotony of the road.
Sadie was looking hot in the van again and stayed behind me on her cot.
We made it to downtown Indianapolis within two hours, faster than expected. But Indianapolis is in a different time zone, as now we were an hour ahead.
My bank, it turned out, was a block from the majestic Indiana War Memorial in a tightly secured federal building. (In fact, the best war memorials appear to be in Indiana). The downtown area is 180% prettier than it was 25 years ago. Now the area is walkable and worth a day visit. Bleachers from the Memorial parade last weekend were still on the sidewalks. Soldier Circle's War Memorial (Mexican, Civil and Spanish Wars) honor fallen Hoosiers. In the Civil War alone, 24416 farmboys from Indiana died, according to the southern plaque on the center obelisk. (Ninety-two Hoosiers have died in Iraq so far)
Within 30 minutes I had finished my errand and rejoined Sadie in the shade of a large tree, planning my next move with Sharon. Within about 40 minutes I was at her place on the east side of town.
Two hours later she took me to a nice state park just outside the former army post, and together we powerwalked five miles around the Ben Harrison State Park. I had never heard of this park before, but it certainly was worth the visit among the elms, shagbark hickories and other hardwoods. Sadie kept her pace with us as we talked about old times, tried new trails and rested only to take a few photos.
We were up until 1:30pm her time. We sat on the floor of her computer room, where I slept with Sadie in my sleeping bag. We got caught up with old times, talking about old days in college and new days ahead.
Sadie was looking hot in the van again and stayed behind me on her cot.
We made it to downtown Indianapolis within two hours, faster than expected. But Indianapolis is in a different time zone, as now we were an hour ahead.
My bank, it turned out, was a block from the majestic Indiana War Memorial in a tightly secured federal building. (In fact, the best war memorials appear to be in Indiana). The downtown area is 180% prettier than it was 25 years ago. Now the area is walkable and worth a day visit. Bleachers from the Memorial parade last weekend were still on the sidewalks. Soldier Circle's War Memorial (Mexican, Civil and Spanish Wars) honor fallen Hoosiers. In the Civil War alone, 24416 farmboys from Indiana died, according to the southern plaque on the center obelisk. (Ninety-two Hoosiers have died in Iraq so far)
Within 30 minutes I had finished my errand and rejoined Sadie in the shade of a large tree, planning my next move with Sharon. Within about 40 minutes I was at her place on the east side of town.
Two hours later she took me to a nice state park just outside the former army post, and together we powerwalked five miles around the Ben Harrison State Park. I had never heard of this park before, but it certainly was worth the visit among the elms, shagbark hickories and other hardwoods. Sadie kept her pace with us as we talked about old times, tried new trails and rested only to take a few photos.
We were up until 1:30pm her time. We sat on the floor of her computer room, where I slept with Sadie in my sleeping bag. We got caught up with old times, talking about old days in college and new days ahead.
Sharon hasn't lost her strong convictions and it's no surprise that among her, my sister Iris and I, she is the most successful. Successful in that she married and stayed married to the same man through pains and struggles whereas Iris and I gave up to start new. As a young woman in her early 20s she was studying comparative religions and was unsure of what she wanted to do. Now she is a nurse who works in an adult trauma care unit. She sees death nearly every day.
"The most expensive part of medical care are the last three weeks of a patient's life" said Sharon, as she described bureaucratic red tape that dictate that a patient must be kept on life support for as long as possible.
"So what if a family insists their loved one die in peace?" I asked.
"Then we have to request a doctor's orders in writing" explained Sharon, referring to the legal issues of letting someone die with dignity without expensive life support tubes attached to their dying body.
"When it's my time to go I plan on taking my own life" I admitted, having schemed this in my mind years ago after seeing too many of my close relatives die a slow, painful death.
"We all will die" said Sharon. "But when it's my turn I don't want to know it. I just want my pain medication and be allowed to go. I don't want to be a talking head and be a burden on my family."
After all these years, Sharon and I think so much alike. There was not a thought or opinion I disagreed with. She even has an interest in American history, although her passion is the Revolutionary War era whereas I love the Westward Expansion era after the Civil War, 1865-1920.
Hard rains fell after midnight. Lightining and thunder came and went, stray cats outside meowed. If this rain continues we may have a wet hike around Bloomington. I could always come back another day when the weather warms up.
Sharon's even interested in hiking the Three Lakes Trail in the Morgan-Monroe State Forest with me. That may be for another day.
Sharon's even interested in hiking the Three Lakes Trail in the Morgan-Monroe State Forest with me. That may be for another day.
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