The Gazette had a fun lunch with Broad Ripple's own Dan Wakefield (Going All The Way, Starting Over, James at 15, etc.) to talk about growing up in Broad Ripple. We would have gone to Dan's hangout, the Red Key Tavern, for lunch but it was a Monday and it was closed. We tried the nearby Aristocrat, it was also closed. We ended up at my hangout, the Alley Cat (It was Dan's first visit there). The music from the jukebox is always a bit loud, but the bar is cozy and the food is good. (Only Cokes for the boys from BR today Rita. No day drinking.)

Dan is 90 and I, your editor, am 62. We had many memories in common (We both had Mrs. Grimes for a teacher at School 80), but also two different sets of experiences.

Dan's favorite memories are of sports. His dad had Broad Ripple Lumber Company (where Cholita Taqueria and Pilates Indy are today) build a basketball goal in the backyard at his 61st and Winthrop Avenue home. Dan's schoolmates and friends, including Gene Neudigate (BRHS 1952), would gather to play basketball. Eighty years later, Dan and Gene have a test they give each other to test their memories. It is reciting the roster of the BRHS Rockets at the 1945 State Semi-Finals. (Dan recited it quickly for me too.)

Dan recalled going to Danner's 5 & 10 (Broad Ripple Tavern today), while I grew up going to G.C. Murphy's 5 & 10 (Hot Box Pizza today). He remembered going to The White House, a record and appliance store owned by Jack White at 910 Broad Ripple Avenue (east part of Brothers Bar and Grill today) to buy patriotic records.

Dan told a story of rolling down the hill behind his house (in big oil barrels dropped off the train) into the cemetery across the Monon Tracks. He had lunches at Wally's Diner (Union Jack Pub today, 921 Broad Ripple Avenue) which was El Matador when I was at BRHS. Then we realized that Dan left for college at Columbia in 1952 and didn't return to Indy until 2011! He missed Glendale Mall. Entirely. The open air mall in 1958 (before I was born), when it was enclosed in 1969, and then torn down in 2007.

Dan told of working for a summer with Bob Collins, famed sports columnist for the Indianapolis Star. Bob gave Dan his first byline when he took Dan's submitted story and wrote in pencil "by Dan Wakefield" on it.

Dan recalled the many people who gave him books to read when they saw his love for reading.

We had a great couple of hours reminiscing and will do it again, next time probably at the Red Key for dinner. Maybe on a Saturday night so Nora will be our waitress!