My wife, Lyn, and I have a grandson, Trey Young, who will graduate from Southport High School in a few weeks. His older brother, Trevor, is a Southport grad and will earn his bachelor’s degree from Wabash College in May. 
The boys have seemingly bought into my musical talents as they play several instruments. I’m certain the stories of my mastering the beloved plastic Flutophone was one of the main reasons for their passion to make music. 
Each spring, Southport sponsors a program so that students can share their artistic talents, be it singing, dancing, staging a skit or reciting a poem. 
To enhance the environment of the April 25 production, the backstage area of the auditorium was transformed into a Greek coffee house. 
Lyn and I knew from past experience that it might get crowded, so we went early. Sure enough, there were people waiting to be seated, but the line moved quickly. We saved a chair for Trey’s mother, Michelle, and ordered a snack and some iced tea from our waitress. I was impressed to see that local businesses like, Papa Murphy’s, McAlister’s Deli and Kim’s Kakery, Bakery & Cafe were providing food and beverages.
There were more than 40 acts, and the two young Greek ladies who served as masters of ceremonies got the evening started as soon as they could. The audience seemed to enjoy each of the acts and joined in the singing and clapped to the rhythm of several of the acts. 
When Trey went on stage to play his guitar and sing, he was joined by Trevor, who played a shiny brass instrument that resembled a Flutophone. I really felt honored, and the boys did a wonderful job. 
Later in the evening they hooked up with a couple of their buddies and performed again.
A few of the acts were extremely funny: Hot Kool-Aid was a hoot, and David Blaine portrayed a street magician. A couple of guys performed an act that centered on which of them was sporting the tightest pants.
Samantha Crowe, a young lady that Lyn and I have come to know over the past couple of years, did a tremendous job in singing “Set Fire to Rain,” which was made popular by Adele, who’s one of my favorite singers.
 Her family recorded it and put it on Samantha’s Facebook page. Since Sam sometimes adds the word “like” into her conversations, I played her video a couple of times just to count how many times that she inserted “like” into her song. But I couldn’t find a single unneeded “like” in her performance. I was like amazed.
Singariteeria (Greek for congratulations) to everyone involved with the production. It was a blast.
Shonk, a lifelong Southsider, is a 1960 graduate of Southport, a ’63 grad of Indiana Central College (now the University of Indianapolis) and a retired bus driver from Beech Grove Schools. 

I think the first couple of weeks of this month should be remembered as “pick on Fred weeks” because two pretty good stories came out of those 15 days.
The first story started when Stuart, my therapy dog, and I were making our regular visit to one of our nursing homes. The trip had gone smoothly, and Stuart was having a good time. One of his favorite areas at one of these facilities is the physical therapy room, where there’s always a lot of action.
The physical therapy staff includes our friend Nikki Patel, who was a bit uncomfortable around Stuart at first, but now they are good friends.
Nikki was working that day, and the therapy room seemed busy as Stuart and I visited with the patients and staff. She called me over and said, “I’m getting married.”
Nikki explained that she was tired of dating someone for a while, breaking up and having to start all over again. She said she had found a nice guy and was tieing the knot. When I asked her if this fellow had any knowledge of the impending marriage, everyone one in the room laughed. 
Our next visit to the Madison Health Care Center came exactly two weeks later on April 15. We again had a blast working our way through the facility. When we arrived at the therapy room, it was busy as usual. 
Nikki entered the room with a patient, and I asked Nikki if she had become a bride. The room got quiet as she smiled and walked over to me. She asked me if I knew what the date of our last visit was.
As I counted back I was sure it was going to be April 1. It was indeed April Fool’s Day, which is one of my favorite days of the year, especially when I’m on the delivering end of pranks. She really got me, but I have almost a year to come up with something.
The second incident occurred at Hornet Park Elementary, where Stuart and I visit weekly. Stuart listens to the stories that some of the children read to him. 
A young girl was reading a book that featured several characters – Cinderella and Rapunzel – from other children’s books in it. The girl had just read the part about the flying carpet when I stopped her and asked if she had ever ridden on a magic carpet. She didn’t look at me when she said no.
I jokingly explained that the carpet we were sitting on might be magical. She commented on its size, and I explained that I thought it might be able to carry up to eight kids and maybe a couple of dogs. She offered no comment and continued reading.
As she was close to finishing her book, she turned to Stuart and – without acknowledging me – said, “Would you please tell that guy, your master, that there is no such thing as a flying carpet.”  
Just as she was about to walk out of the room, she turned to Stuart and said, “Don’t you forget to tell him!” 
The librarian, Heather Byland, and I burst out laughing.
Hanging out with Stuart is a blast.

I have been making some alterations to my bucket list. I’ve added some things while scratching off a couple of completed items. 
Last year I was commissioned to be the male entertainment at a bachelorette party for Rebecca Kidwell-Yan. I showed up at her party and, boy, was she surprised.
After I was home and had a chance to reflect, it came to mind that being the entertainment at such an event wasn’t on my list, so I added it.
Last month I had another opportunity to play that role when Alicia Pieper-Wood, a good friend of Rebecca’s, was having a bachelorette party. Alicia was also surprised to see me. This time I was able to scratch this item off my list.
A couple of Saturdays ago I was able to draw a line through another item. A new professional basketball team, the Naptown All-Stars, is coming to town. I had met the coach, Cory Arnett, and his wife, Saysha, and have had the opportunity to show them around a bit. They just moved here from California. 
The All-Stars, a member of the American Basketball Association, will begin playing in the fall, with their home games at Manual High School. 
Arnett had been contacting potential players to let them know about tryouts. The first one was a couple of weeks ago at Manual. He asked me several times if I was going to come. Since I was interested in seeing what sort of response he would get, I arrived about 15 minutes early.
Arnett had a couple of assistants to help with the drills, and there was a photographer taking pictures. Several players were eager to display their varied skills.
I sat behind one of the baskets and was watching the players warm up when a basketball came rolling in my direction. I picked it up and passed it back to a player on the court. A bit later I encountered another ball, and because I saw no one waving at me to fire it to him, I stood court side and dribbled the ball several times. 
I checked around again and noticed that Arnett was having a discussion with several of the players across from where I was standing. I took that opportunity to take three or four shots; I believe I made one before sitting down.
I thought the tryouts went well. The coach had the facility booked again the next afternoon for callbacks and a few players who didn’t make it to the first tryout. Arnett asked me if I could return for the next session, and I felt honored. I wasn’t sure if he had noticed my passing, dribbling and shooting skills, but I guess he had.
I explained that I couldn’t attend because Stuart, my therapy dog, and I had to go to a birthday. He informed me that the next tryout session will be held in June.
That evening I sat down with my list and scratched off “trying out for a professional basketball team.” That is two items marked off in about 30 days.
Shonk, a lifelong Southsider, is a 1960 graduate of Southport High School, a ’63 grad of Indiana Central College (now the University of Indianapolis) and a retired bus driver from Beech Grove Schools. He is married to Lyn Shonk.

The last week or so has caused me to think back to when I was about 16, when my family lived on Madison Avenue in what is now the Longacre Bar & Grill. My dad had operated his Sunoco service station for a few years and business was good. 
My parents started making plans to build a new home. Their plans included a list of things that should not cause them the difficulties they were experiencing at their present home.
Mom disliked her large kitchen. She knew how many steps she had to make from the stove to the sink or sink to refrigerator and then to the dining table. She also disliked doing laundry in the basement and then carrying the wet clothes outside to hang up and dry.
Dad wasn’t a fan of dealing with water coming into the basement and dealing with temperamental sump pumps. A small unattached garage was also unacceptable. Our old house had narrow eaves, and if any windows were open during a rain, water came inside. To combat that moisture, we had a loud exhaust fan that pulled air through the house.
As a teenager I paid little attention to any of this. Soon I was shown a diagram of the new house. The general contractor was Gerald “Red” Mobley, who lived just a block away from the house we were building.
We knew most of the contractors. Our kitchen and laundry room appliances came from Harrell’s, the cabinets from Miller Cabinet Co. I came to notice that each of the items that were on the no-no list were not present in our new home.
Our new home, which featured three bedrooms, a handy laundry room and a heated attached garage with the exhaust fan from our old house, was located on a high plot of land with good drainage to a small creek. The kitchen was and is still known as a “one-butt” kitchen. You could touch the stove, fridge and sink without taking more than a couple of steps. 
Over the years we discovered that the crawlspace was as dry as a desert. Our neighborhood had city water but not city sewers. We were on a septic system.
My wife, Lyn, Stuart, our therapy dog, and I live now live in the home that my parents built.
City sewers were installed a couple of years ago, but we couldn’t connect until the entire project was finished, so we didn’t hook up until last week. It looks strange to see that mound of soil leading from our home to the street. Soon it will settle and new grass will be growing.
Changes have been made to the house over the years. It is now a two-bedroom home because the living and family rooms and the small bedroom were opened up to create a great room. We have added a sun room, a deck and a bookcase, which covers an entire wall. 
I also have a wonderful outbuilding – “The Hideout” – in the backyard. I am seated in it as I compose this article. 
The old exhaust fan still works fines, and it brings back wonderful memories from both homes.