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Dan Huneke's avatar

Was walking along the beach on Lizard Island Australia.....said "Hi" to a family (parents, & two sons. I introduced myself and the wife responded "Oh, you must be John's brother. Turns out she and my sister-in-law Ruth grew up in Ft. Wayne as neighbors and best friends. I think people in Indiana are magnetized to each other.......and drawn together.

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Betsy Johnson's avatar

So I dated the aforementioned Jerry Johnson at Hanover College in 1966-67. He dumped me and disappeared from my life until 2003 when as a prospective trustee of Hanover he met my son who was a student. Jerry and I were married in 2008. What are the chances that Jerry would meet my son? I surmise that there may be an aura around men who graduated from Broad Ripple High School.

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Robert  Basler's avatar

You call it an aura, some people would just call it poor personal hygiene...

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Monica Gagnier's avatar

Maybe everyone who has ever lived in Indy who are roughly in the same demographic cohort have some two degrees of separation from each other. I’m thinking of you and my former Businessweek colleague David Pengilly going to the same camp, which a former vice president also attended. What are the chances?

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Monica Gagnier's avatar

Should read “who IS”

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Linda Jaques's avatar

I was in Coach Brown’s algebra class, and yes, he did hurl books across the room at sleeping students. He also taught driver’s Ed. That part has a full line of stories.

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Robert  Basler's avatar

oh, dear. I think I may have been the one who pointed out to him that you were asleep. see, I hadn't done my homework...

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Sandy Read Reiberg's avatar

Glad this 50-50 chance of being neighbors after being highschool church friends came to pass. Another great story, Bob.

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Maggie Fox's avatar

As your high school teacher said, these are not impressive statistics. The chances you would meet and marry Barbara? 50-50. The chances you'd move back to Indianapolis? 50-50. Either you would or you wouldn't. The chances your college roomie would end up as VP? 50-50. It's a tossup. You could have been president, but you beat the odds.

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Robert  Basler's avatar

That's kind of a buzz-kill, Maggie...

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Maggie Fox's avatar

The odds were 50-50 that it would be.

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evelyn leopold's avatar

Does Barbara ever get older? She looks fantastic.

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Robert  Basler's avatar

Thank you, Evelyn....

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Maggie Fox's avatar

LOOK AT THAT MAN TAKING CREDIT FOR BARBARA'S GLAMOR.....

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Robert  Basler's avatar

I was thanking her for Barbara, who is in bed with Covid...

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Maggie Fox's avatar

Awww hoping Barbara feels better soon.

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Anne Nobles's avatar

I’ve lived these coincidences and still can’t believe them. But Barbara and I both agree that Hoosier husbands are the best!

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Robert  Basler's avatar

As are Texas wives!

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Rita Jane Gabbett's avatar

What are the chances I would meet a fellow Midwesterner 7,946 miles away from Indianapolis and 7,839 miles from my hometown in Illinois?

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Robert  Basler's avatar

That would never happen....

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