Since its beginning in September 1905, The Indiana Society of Chicago has hosted an annual dinner bringing together Hoosiers and Indiana expatriates who reside in the Second City. The venerable institution lauds the values of education, commerce, philanthropy and fellowship. Moreover, it is a great time to get together with friends from across our own state and cousins now, in some case long, domiciled in the Windy City, for a good meal, quality entertainment (this year’s speakers included former Indiana University basketball coach, Bobby Knight, fittingly introduced by longtime rival and former Purdue University basketball coach, Gene Keady), and general good humor (Knight spoke of Keady’s notorious comb-over while Keady couldn’t pass recounting stories of Knight’s legendary temper).
Chicago is, as the song recounts, “my kind of town – Chicago is.” My bride and I exchange the cool winter days of Central Indiana for the frigid winter days up north. We celebrate the weekend by renting a room in some downtown hotel, shopping a little, seeing friends and visiting with family.
With each trip I am reminded how much of a small town boy I can be and what a cultural exchange can come from a 175-mile trip. This time, our room was positioned on a high floor in a tall building directly across the street from an equally lofty residential building. The smooth glass front of the edifice looked like a Rubik’s Cube of humanity. Each window displayed a life; the residents seemed unaffected by their role in these dioramas. One was a family home. One appeared to be a storage unit. Another was a bachelor pad. One woman found Sunday morning at 11 a.m. the ideal time to clean her apartment while nude.
Thanks to Indiana Society for its service to Hoosiers in Chicago. It is always memorable.