Glorious Day

Aaaaaahhhh, The great Indiana State Fair. I was privileged to be part of I.U.'s team yesterday for I.U. Day. The weather was absolutely beautiful. It seems they are continually working on 37, as was the case yesterday. It was one lane for quite awhile, but I didn't give two hoots. I had picked up a diet Pepsi when I got gas ($3.63 in Martinsville!) and I had the windows down, the sunroof open, my shades on and I be jammin to Vampire Weekend. It was a perfect day. Sunny, slight breeze, not too hot.

I worked the resource booth (charging dead walkies and distributing charges walkies) from 12-2.

Then 3:30-6:30 escorted Tom. Mary was along for the ride and she is a delight. I always enjoy visiting with her. A good time was had by all. Coach Crean spoke. He is quite the motivational speaker. That man preaches it. No notes, he spews positive and received a standing ovation. He literally said "let them get their digs in now, because it will not be happening in the future." If you have been following IU basketball at all, you know what he is referring to.

I got to see my dear friend Chris McCloud. We've been friends since I was 16 or 17. Chris was a counselor at our school fresh out of college. He was only about nine years older than we were and we all loved him, loved hanging at his apartment. He and I dated for a time after my divorce and he always has been, always will be someone who I hold near and dear to my heart. Chris started making his wooden signs in '78 and I remember Don was living in Columbus, OH. I didn't have a car, but wanted to go visit. Chris gave me his car, a station wagon, loaded with wood and said "Fill it up with gas when you return it and don't call me if you have a flat." Fortunately, I didn't have a flat. Through the years, visiting with Chris at his trailer at the state fair has always been a sure thing. I was also able to visit with his brother, Greg, yesterday.

Fair food: I didn't do too awful- had my beloved pineapple whip, a mediocre ear of corn - not hot enough, one slice of fried green tomato that one of the gals shared with me...a bag of pretzels and a couple of waters from I.U.'s hospitality tent. I think that was it.

This a.m., I was sitting in line at Starbucks, awaiting my Venti Mocha and pumpkin loaf. Next door, at McDonalds, I observed a man cleaning the top of the trash can. You know, the part where you shove your trash in, where the swinging door is on the front of it. This man was cleaning the top of this trash can as if his life depended upon it. As I sat and watched him I had several thoughts: perhaps it is inspection time at McDonalds. Perhaps his boss said "Make it shine like the top of the Chrysler Building!" (Boys and girls, what is that line from?) I wondered if he had been cleaning trash cans all of his life. Clearly this man is a professional trash can cleaner. Then, I wondered if he were fresh out of prison and joyful to be scrubbing trash cans for McDonalds. Or, perhaps he is just thankful to have a job or doing it with all of his might. It seemed to me, as I observed, that this gentleman who was ever so fastidious in his work was having a glorious day of his own. Even if he were scrubbing a trash can.