Soaked to the skin -- another ride tale

Monday, Sept. 19, 2005

I am soaked to the skin. I cannot remember ever being this wet before. The one exception is my head. My hair is dry.

I just rode home from Terre Haute and got caught in a thunderstorm about halfway to Brazil.

Linda and a girlfriend decided to go out for supper tonight. The woman's husband is on a tour of duty in Japan and Linda wanted to cheer her up.

I had wanted to visit WTHI-TV and see a newscast live. So, I called Doug Runyan, an employee of Action 10 News. He said that would be fine and I should arrive at the studio about quarter to six for the 6 o;clock newscast.

I was early.

I had stopped by The Brazil Times office to pick up my jacket. I asked at the font desk about one of our associate's husband who had recently been hospitalized. Then, Steve, an account representative told me how great my photos of the Fishing Fun Day at Craig Park had turned out.

I got on the road and noticed how hot the temperature still was at 4:30 p.m.

In Seelyville, I ran into a brief rain shower and pulled off the road to gas up my scooter and get a soda to drink.

About halfway through the bottle, the rain stopped and I was on my way once more.

I arrived at the TV station without incident, but early, so I finished my soda and wondered if I should ring the buzzer.

Doug had said quarter to six, so I thought it would be good to wait a few minutes.

I looked into the lobby and saw a sign proclaiming WTHI-TV as Emmis' entity of the year for television. A decale on the door proclaimed Emmis to be one of the Fortune 500's best employers to work for.

Soon a young man came to the door when I finally pressed the buzzer. I told him who I was and that Doug had invited me over.

He showed in to the studio. We walked through the Master Control room and I felt right at home with all the gadgets and blinking lights from my radio days.

I met Mark Allen and Kevin Orpurt. The news director, Mark Harris, introduced himself and asked if I was doing a story on Mark.

He said they had lots of stories to tell on Mark and had lots of pictures.

We all laughed and I had a seat in an overstuffed chair, ready to watch the newscast.

Again, I felt right at home with the banter and thought of Dangerous Dan Jensen, the DJ at WCVL when I became their news director in 1994. He now works for Emmis at WIBC in Indianapolis.

During a break in the news, Mark asked about Joe Redebarger, the former publisher of The Times and about Jim Dressler, the former editor.

I told him both were doing well and I had seen Redenbarger during the Fourth of July celebration at Forest Park.

When the news ended, Mark said, "Frank, that's it -- in all it's glory."

I thanked him and left the building the way I had entered.

Outside, the air felt warm. If anything, it was hotter than when I rode to Terre Haute.

I headed down Ohio Street, noticed the Crossroads Communications building where Mike Petersen works, and on Fruitridge, I turned left, heading over to U.S. 40, Wabash Avenue.

On Ohio St. I saw the first flash of lightning. Kevin Orpurt had said we had a chance of heavy rain tonight. Boy did we get it.

I almost stopped in Seelyville, but thought it was actually raining less heavy so I pressed on.

I made it home, but between Seelyville and Brazil I thought of many things.

I thought of the MASH episode when Hawkeye crashes and keeps himself awake by gibbering to a Korean family. He is afraid he has a concussion and doesn't want to go to sleep.

I thought about my own accident and vowed to keep the scooter up right.

I remembered driving home from college on the night before Thanksgiving one year. I called my parents from a rest area on Interstate 80 to say I was OK. As soon as I left the rest area, I had a wreck. I vowed to not let down my guard tonight until I was home and Herbie (my scooter) was safely parked.

So, my wet clothes are on the washing machine. I am in dry shorts and T-shirt, Linda is somewhere out in the storm and the light at the end of the drive is burning brightly for her.

Another adventure from the folks who invested motor scooters.