I had some running around to do last week, so I took Stuart, my therapy dog, along with me. One of our stops was Rural King, where we purchased dog treats. Stuart had informed me that we were getting low on them.
We also visited Bob Glidden in the Whiteland area. I have known him and his family for many years. Should his name sound familiar, Bob was a national champion drag racer for many years. He is retired now and enjoys life, playing golf and spending time with his dog.
Bob brought up a guy’s name and said he was going to Bloomington to visit him. As soon as I heard his name a story came to mind.
A few years after I graduated from high school a good friend of mine – Steve “Clyde” Lovellette – was getting married, and I was invited to his impromptu bachelor party. Steve lived in an apartment complex at Madison and Lawrence avenues. The rear door to those apartments were mostly used because of the parking and stairs.
We were really enjoying ourselves when we heard someone knocking at the back door, which I answered. I was shocked to see a Catholic Priest. I knew that Clyde’s bride was a Catholic, but I was surprised to see a priest stopping by the party. I motioned for him to come while trying to think of a way to give the guys a heads up.
As I walked into the living room I made strange faces in an effort to get everyone’s attention. I was thinking about how I was going to introduce the priest. I wasn’t even sure we had made eye contact. I was shocked when the first words I heard coming out of the priest’s mouth were, “Clyde Lovellette, you rotten son-of-a-b----.”
I saw the shocked expressions on everyone’s faces. The apartment went silent, but I began to smile as I recognized the voice as that of Bob Johnson, one of our friends. Everything came together for me in less than a second. My smile quickly grew to total laughter. I turned around and couldn’t believe that I hadn’t recognized Bob when he walked in. The fellows in the room were still in total shock.
As soon as Bob broke into his famous laughter, the guys slowly developed that “you-got-me” look on their faces.
It was a perfect evening. Bob Johnson saw to it that we would never forget that bachelor party. Thanks, Bob.
Shonk 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.