Everything has to start somewhere, so I guess my story starts here.
Actually, my story really started in the mid 70's and picked-up steam in the 80's in the little town of St. John, IN. My hometown was as typical as can be, if normal to you is Lilly-white god fearing Catholics. St. John was a unique town in "The Region," as the city most people know in the area is Gary, IN. Having a town of mostly upper-middle class white families in the region was rare, your choices, St. John, Dyer and Munster. The area is a boiler that one day soon I expect to explode due to the racial divides, but more on that some other day.
"The Region" is the suburban Chicago area that happens to be in Indiana. The air is so thick with the smell of industry that it is the first thing most people notice while driving through. Those of us who lived there were pretty much immune to the fact that we stunk. "The Region" is the blue collar backbone of America, however, almost everyone that lives there is doing everything they can to get out.
I was lucky, I went to Purdue University after graduating from Lake Central High School, also known as Drug Central, but I digress. I received my BA from Purdue and after getting married and spending three years in the Chicago area, my family settled in the suburbs of Indianapolis. Now, I live in relative obscurity - times get tough, but we fight on.
Our newest test involves my wife being downsized after dedicating five years of her life to one company. It was completely unexpected, and undeserved, but it is just another part of life that we have to deal with, gain perspective and move on even stronger. Maybe I will dedicate more time on this in the future, but for today, I guess just the basics will do.
So this is it, this is where my path has led me, this is where the story begins.
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