60 Years Ago This Week - 1959
A 78-inch aluminum Christmas tree with 70 gleaming branches was on sale for $14.98 at G.C. Murphy in Fountain Square, where a revolving tree lamp cost $12.98. 
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The Heritage Cafeteria, 3325 Madison Ave., boasted that all of its entrees were served piping hot.  

50 Years Ago This Week - 1969
Homecoming queen candidates at Wood High School were Edwina Alexander, Peggy Carlin, Sue Falls, Charlotte Perkins, Vivian Reynolds and Linda Holman. 
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Jim Robisch was elected president of Cathedral’s freshman class.
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A 1963 four-door Monza was advertised for $150.

40 Years Ago This Week - 1979
Kevin Smith, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Smith and a freshman at Perry Meridian, earned the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest honor attainable in Boy Scouts.
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Cranky Franks, a tavern and restaurant, celebrated its grand opening at 2179 Bluff Road, where a mug of beer cost 35 cents. The entertainment included The Hay Stacks band and its disco light show.

30 Years Ago This Week - 1989
G.H. Herrmann Funeral Home opened its Greenwood facility at 1605 S. State Road 135.
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Chris DiGuisto, a sixth-grader at St. Mark School, was cast in Butler University’s production of “The Nutcracker.” 
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A birthday greeting was published for Diana Irvin, who was turning 40.

Many years ago, I shared a large office in Beech Grove with Walter and Peggy Hart. I operated a small industrial supply sales business and they owned a company that made and sold advertising specialties.

One day, Peggy was describing Walter’s vegetable garden. She explained how proud he was of it and how he would spend time explaining to her how the plants were maturing and bearing fruit.

She told me how he had pointed out a tomato plant that was a volunteer. He explained that it had started from a seed but would never bear fruit. We laughed and wondered why he would even consider tending to a sterile plant.

A few days later, I was visiting a wonderful fruit and vegetable garden that is located inside the local Kroger store at Madison and Edgewood avenues. While strolling through the cool garden, I spotted some tomatoes that were still attached to the end of their vines. There were three or four tomatoes in each vine.

I purchased a couple of the interesting clusters and drove to Walter and Peggy’s house. As I figured, they were still at the office. I found the volunteer plant that Walter had been describing in his garden.I very carefully slipped one of the clusters between the plant leaves. It looked very realistic, so I later telephoned Peggy to inform her as to what I had done.

As I walked into our office the following morning, Peggy welcomed me by saying, “You son of a *#%&h!” I recovered from the stern salutation but wondered why.

She told me that when she had arrived home the previous evening, Walter was sitting outside at a table with a plate in front of him. He told her that the volunteer plant was indeed producing fruit and he was “eating one of the best damned tomatoes I have ever tasted.”

We laughed as she explained how difficult it was to keep a straight face, especially when he was expounding on the quality of his “homegrown” tomato.

Afterward I was on an out-of-town trip. Upon my return, I decided to purchase another tomato cluster and try my trick again. With my purchase in hand, I returned to the scene of the crime. But the plant in Walter’s garden had turned colorful.

Walter found out he had been fooled earlier and acted of his own. He decorated his plant with several small plastic fruits and vegetables – a corn-on-a-cob, a banana, an orange, an apple and more.

I flopped down and started laughing because I knew that Walter had evened things up. He got me good.

Suddenly, I heard someone clear his throat a couple of times. I finally saw a telephone repairman at the top of a utility pole near Walter’s garden. He had seen me and heard my uncontrollable laughter.
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After we saw each other, he climbed down and I told him the entire story.

Walter and Peggy Hart passed away a few years ago, leaving many special stories to remember them.

My wife, Lyn, continues to recover, but due to continued times of extreme pain, she decided to get a second opinion. After an MRI, she was told she has a crack in the leg bone and a muscle tear in her knee that requires surgery, which is scheduled for Friday, setting back her recovery a few more months.

Last weekend, my high school class celebrated a three-day reunion. Lyn and I were signed up to enjoy all three evenings, but she took a pass on Friday evening after receiving the news about her impending surgery. She felt a quiet evening at home with Stuart, our therapy dog, would be advantageous.

My class graduated from Southport High School in 1960, several years before the opening of Perry Meridian High School. At that time Southport covered the entire township.

When it came to reunions, we sort of got off to a goofy start. We had no plans as we approached our 10-year mark, so our first class reunion was held on the anniversary of our 12th year.

Our 20th reunion was held at the Holiday Inn, corner of US 31 and Thompson Road. Several of us wish we had stayed home from that gathering. Lots of stories; none of which I will share in this column.

Over the years, our reunions have improved by doing one yearly. Very enjoyable, multiple-day events and all casual. This year we celebrated in three different locations. Some of the classmates could only attend one or two evenings. I enjoyed looking around the group and seeing a few new faces each evening.

We even added a breakfast just a few days before our reunion. Several of the guys from our class enjoy a monthly breakfast at the Hotcake Emporium, just North of Bluff and Southport roads.

I contacted my good friend, Bill Bain, and invited him to join us for that breakfast. Bill started his teaching and coaching career at Southport High School, I believe in our junior year. It was a great surprise to have several classmates present when he showed up at the breakfast.

Another very good friend, Richard Smith and his wife, Marsha, were at the reunion for all three evenings. They stopped by our house to visit with Lyn and to meet our chicken girls. Richard recalled his years of working on diesel trains for the railroad.

Our final event Saturday was held outside at the Greenwood VFW near the same railroad tracks that also come through Southport and Homecroft. Just as Richard began to say a short prayer, we heard the sound of a northbound train. He picked up his pace and had completed a wonderful prayer a few seconds before a very long train passed our reunion.
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Later, another train passed by on the same track, and he ran across the field to wave at the engineer. We had a wonderful reunion.