Seeing Beyond the Shadows

For five years after Owen became a journeyman toolmaker, he saved enough to buy a bigger house. In May of 1955, he receives an offer to fill a retiree’s toolmaker position at a big auto plant in Mahican, Indiana, near Lafayette and close to the Wabash River. The McGraigs move from a house that is barely 800 sf to one that is over 1400 sf. Judy now has her own bedroom. They have a bigger and more modern kitchen, two bathrooms and a two car garage with a concrete floor. They even have a natural gas furnace instead of coal.

With the move to Mahican, Owen’s annual income increases from $5,100 to $5,950. Fortunately for Andy, they moved just one month after he finishes sixth grade. In September he will begin 7th grade at Harrison Jr. High in Mahican. He finds out through his former sixth grade coach that Harrison has a competitive basketball program.

When school begins, one of Andy’s favorite classes is history. He finds out from his own reading that a new magazine, the National Review, started by William F. Buckley Jr. has favorable, critical reviews. He wishes that he could take a civics or government class. He decides he’ll ask the school librarian and the city librarian, if they carry the National Review.

Andy has learned that is better not to share the visions that he sees. As he gets older, he doesn’t see the shadowy figures on the wall at night. He still sees walls around a lot of churches and government buildings, and a lot of snares around many corporate buildings.

Andy spends his free time playing basketball and reading magazines and newspapers from the library about current national and world events. He is looking forward to trying out for the 7th grade team. Since his 6th grade season went well, he is curious what he can do this season.

Andy is surprised that try outs for the team start just two weeks after the beginning of school. When he shows up for the first day of try outs, he finds out that he is a head taller than most of the boys. Andy is 5’8” and most of the boys are around 5’2”. During practice he doesn’t have much competition. A boy named Tim, who is 5’1”, is a good guard and shooter. Most of the boys trying out know the game fairly well, but he doesn’t see a lot of talent.

After three try out sessions, the basketball coach tells Andy that he is the starting center. They play 7th grade teams, mostly between Mahican and Kokomo. After 12 games, their record is 10-2. Andy and Tim carry the team and do most of the scoring. Andy averages 23 points a game and Tim averages 18. Andy averages 19 rebounds per game. Through the school year, they become friends with three boys from the team, who improve their game considerably.

By the time he finishes 7th grade, his frugal parents realize that they have worn out their 1940 sedan. At his dad’s plant, they can go on a waiting list for a one year old dealer’s car. Andy doesn’t know that his dad put his name on the list right after they moved.

Owen is now on the first shift, and he gets home about 3:30. He pulls up in front of the house. He gets out of the car, in the eighty degree, sunny day and finds Judy, Andy and Davina in the house. He is all smiles and doesn’t say a word. For a few seconds they just look at him, then Davina smiles and says, “What’s on your mind?”

Owen replies, “A 1955, two tone, blue and white, Chevy Bel Air!”

They all jump out of their chairs and rush outside. They stop in the yard for a second and just admire the gleaming, like-new Chevy that is now theirs.

Davina looks at Owen and exclaims, “Oh, honey, it’s just beautiful!”

Owen says, “Hop in, and we’ll go for a ride.”

As they get in, Owen says, “It has all the options except a V8 engine and has only 9,200 miles.”

They drive to the local Dog N Suds and get a root beer. Even the car hop says to Owen, “What a beautiful car!”

Andy never forgot experiences like their outing to Dog N Suds, and all the simple things they enjoyed, like watching people board the old passenger trains.

In the summer of 1956, Andy continued to help his dad at home and with part-time jobs. They also volunteered to help paint the inside of the fellowship hall at their church. In his free time, he played basketball with Tim and their three friends from the team: Bruce, Gary and Doug. They all got better as a team. All five had grown. Bruce and Gary were now a good size for forwards, and Tim was three inches taller, when they started 8th grade. Doug played as a guard and was a couple inches taller than Tim. When Andy was measured at their first eighth grade try out session, he was 6 feet.

Their coach, Mr. Zimmerman, was impressed with how much Andy and his four friends had improved. He named all five to the starting five. They had a perfect season and won the 8th grade championship. Andy had a game high record of 35 points and 24 rebounds. Tim had a game high record of 12 assists and 24 points.

During the eighth grade year, Andy continued to read U.S. News & World Report cover to cover, and checked out the National Review from the library. He also watched regularly the Huntley-Brinkley Report. His appetite for current events and the national political system seemed to be insatiable.

His closest friends are from his church and the basketball team. He likes the attention that girls are starting to give him. They are mostly eighth graders and some are ninth graders. Andy still checks on his sister a lot. In September she will be in sixth grade. He is very thankful that her leg is getting better.

Before the eighth grade year ends, his science teacher, Mr. Townsend, approaches him about a science project next year. He says, “Andy you’re a bright student, and you’re doing well in science. Next school year you can enter a science project in the regional science fair at Purdue.”