A Peaceful Saturday - Part II

Medema Park

Having had a good lunch I felt energized and ready to go. As I fired up the Explorer and pulled out of our driveway, I was cognizant of the fact that I had hardly driven in 3 months. With that in mind I told myself, 'drive carefully.' As I was leaving my neighborhood I couldn't help but take in the beautiful fall day. The sky was cloudless and an intense blue, and the trees were displaying amazing fall colors like proud peacocks. I took a deep breath, my soul whispered 'thank you' and I continued on my way.

My drive takes me west on Orchard Road, south on Parker, and then west again on Arapahoe. As I drive westward the Rockies are in fully view and standing out majestically against the cloudless Colorado sky. As I pass I-25 and Arapahoe I miss my friends at work. I have spent the last decade working with a group of people who have been like brothers and sisters to me. In fact, I have spent more time with them then just about anyone else. Like brothers and sisters we have had our disagreements, been angry with one another, celebrated great successes, commiserated failures, laughed incessantly, supported one another, played together, prayed together, and just about any other thing you can imagine. From the time I knew I had a serious health problem, my friends at work have been there.

Our Favorite Winter Sledding Spot

As I continue down Arapahoe Road, memories flood my mind; some of them good, some not so good. Before long I approach Holy Street and turn south toward Dry Creek Road. When I was a young man, this area was either part of a farmer's wheat field or undeveloped land. During the summer we played in the fields or traversed them to go to King Soopers, Skaggs, or other shops and restaurants. During the winter there was an unfinished reservoir that served as the perfect place to go sledding.

I turned right on Dry Creek Road and immediately saw Tony's Meats. Tony's has been in that location for many years. During my senior year of high school, I actually worked there. My job involved washing dishes, cleaning floors, cleaning the walk-in cooler, making sausage, making ground beef, and helping with deliveries. It was a physical job that didn't pay much; nonetheless, it was an opportunity to learn about hard work. Tony and the gang knew how to work hard and how to run a successful business.

I turned on Eudora Street and there in front of me was Medema Park, a site of many memories. I can't count the number of times I visited that park. We played baseball, basketball, and football there constantly. I recall one day playing basketball at the park. I was there with my brother Steve and my father. One of the girls who lived near the park, April Heinrichs, joined us. If you have paid attention to the sports world, you probably know that April became a world class soccer player, having played and coached the US Women's soccer team. Well, she was a great athlete as a kid too. In fact, she was so athletic and tough, that I made darn sure not to get on her bad side -- the outcome would have been ugly.

Our Home on Fairfax Court 

At the intersection of Eudora and Hinsdale I looked left and right. Not far to my right was the location of the first house we owned in Colorado. To the left was the apartment complex we lived in and further still our third home in the same neighborhood. About a mile or so from my current location is our second house on Dexter Street; the place of most of my childhood memories. I decided to turn right and head to Fairfax court. To this day I remember each of the families who lived on Fairfax court. Among the families were the Beckers, the Blishs, the Floyds, the McClouds, the Stankos (a kind older couple), and the Chaneys. 

[to be continued]