My good friend Ted Lobdell has been the main organizer for both events. Last week he stopped by my house to talk about some things for the reunion. Our neighborhood cat, Guessie, climbed into his car through an open window and startled him shortly after he drove away. Ted brought the cat back to our house. I wrote about that last week.
For many years, Roselyn Speedy-Wild’s mother ran Edgewood’s kitchen. For our reunion, Roselyn and her daughters Sandy Wild and Kate Wild-Cutshaw combined forces and talents to cater a meal much like we enjoyed at school for lunch each day. It was delicious.
A few years ago I was contacted by Kathleen Shaul-Hash on Facebook. She thought she had ridden a school bus driven by my father to and from Edgewood. I asked her what area of the township she lived then, and she responded Rosedale Hills. I informed her that it was me she rode with.
We continued chatting on Facebook, and eventually I stopped by her office for a visit. We tossed out a name of a student who rode on that route and then exchanged stories. It was a special visit. Kathleen, her husband plus her brother and his wife were at the reunion. It was nice to see her and meet them.
Four of my classmates attended: Sharon Brinkoetter-Kinder, Judy Poland-Hobbs, Nancy Vittorio-DeBaun and John Todd. All five of us completed all 12 grades of school together. I had informed my sister, Kathy, who lives in Austin, Texas, about the reunion. I told her I would provide a good telephone report and send pictures. Two of her classmates, Don Wasson and Steve Harnedy, inquired about her; I told them that she was planning to attend next year’s gala.
So many stories were shared and expanded a bit more with each telling ... so much laughing and memories revisited. We talked about the numerous basketball courts at Edgewood and the hundreds of kids and young adults who stopped by for pickup games. We talked about the corner grocer, Frank Kautsky, and the fact that he formed the first professional basketball team in Indiana. Our Edgewood principal, Paul L. “Pete” Bailey, helped Mr. Kautsky start that team. Pete was also a player and business manager.
We had a couple of drawings; Bob Wayman won the 50-50, and Nancy won a stained glass hanging lamp made by Bailey.
Ted delivered the lamp to Nancy and husband Tut’s house Sunday morning. After Ted had dropped off the lamp and was leaving, he noticed a cat in his backseat and quickly called me to report his discovery. I assured him that Guessie was asleep on the couch directly across the room from me. He then explained that this time it was Nancy’s cat.
What are the odds to have your automobile taken over by two different felines in a week’s time? Way to go, Ted.