Houses, Yards, Dogs & Wives

There are few things pure in this world anymore,and home is one of the few.
We'd have a drink outside, maybe run and hide if we saw a couple men in blue.
To me it's so damn easy to see that true people are the people at home.
Well, I've been away but now I'm back today, and there ain't a place I'd rather go.
I feel home, when I see the faces that remember my own.
I feel home, when I'm chilling outside with the people I know.
I feel home, and that's just what I feel.
Home to me is reality, and all I need is something real.

"I Feel Home," Of A Revolution

If there was one good thing to come out of me losing my job in Houston, it was that it allowed me much more time at my friend Austin's wedding. I've learned over the years that I will develop different bonds with different groups of friends. The bond I had with my college friends will be unlike anything else and the bond I have with the guys I grew up will be unlike anything else. None of us could remember the last time we were all together but it had been definitely four years plus, so Austin's wedding was a highly anticipated event. You don't realize what kind of friendships you have until you don't have them anymore. It wasn't until I moved to Houston, TX and didn't know a single person when I discovered this. So now that I didn't have a job or a boss to report to, I decided to take some time and spend some time with the people I know and the people that make me feel at home.

My first stop on my way to Ft. Wayne, IN landed me in Indianapolis on Wednesday where I planned to have lunch with my college friend Dave. I hadn't seen this guy since his wedding last summer. In addition to his wife, he has a house, a yard and a dog. When you're still living the bachelor's life those objects are things you laugh at because it's what "old men" have. However, Dave does not match this stereotype at all. He is still the crazy, tall, goofy kid with glasses and a chest hair problem that I remember from college. Yet, he's so clever that he guilt-tripped me into staying over night so we could hang out longer. I now got to see another college friend, Matt, because of my extended stay. He's in dental school and wasn't free until later in the evening. We ate nasty, greasy Chinese food and acted like college-aged morons. They kept heckling me: "John, you got to move to Indy! We'd have so much fun!" Definitely a tempting offer and one I'll consider if the right opportunity comes along. Unfortunately the night came to an end and it was time to go.

Thursday morning the plan was to meet high school bud Greg at Huntington Reservoir to go mountain biking. Greg and I had always been into the outdoors and high adventure thing. We he started mountain biking a few years ago, we always talked about riding together but we were just now getting to it for the first time. We rode the 12 mile loop just once and once was enough because of how unfit we were. Besides, we still had to get ready for Austin's bachelor party. We picked up tuxedos still covered in sweat and grime from the mountain bike ride, we were on a mission and had a limited amount of time. After quick runs to the grocery, liquor and cigar stores we the essential gear for the bachelor party and one more thing ... we were going chucker hunting.

The rally point was the groom's dad's barn outside of Ossian, IN. The location was place where hillbillies go to get away from it all. Once everyone showed up the scene looked like Dukes of Hazzard on steroids. Trucks, gun, camo and a bunch of good ol' boys ready to hunt. This was my first hunt and I soon learned why hunters rave about hunting. Although I can't quite describe me emotions, bird hunting is addicting. I was just getting warmed up when the sun set behind the trees and ended our hunt. After that, it was back to the barn for a feast of food, light domestic cold beer and cheap cigars. As the beer flowed, so did the stories and dirty jokes. I heard jokes that were so disturbing that they made me want to go church the next day. We went back to Austin's house later that night and I met the bride to be for the first time inebriated off my ass.

When Friday morning rolled around, I couldn't help but notice that Austin also had a house, a yard, a dog and soon he would have a wife. Life really starts to get weird when your friends start getting married, especially when you yourself are no where even close to getting married. Anyways, on Friday morning the only things left to be done were the usual wedding stuff: decorating, rehearsal dinner, the wedding itself and the reception. The rehearsal dinner was a hog roast at a lodge on Oubache State Park. The groomsmen all received flasks and we played Nintendo Wii to kill time before the wedding ceremony. The reception was at this place called Camelot way out in the boonies. We danced, we drank, we laughed and had great times that I'm glad I share with my close friends for so many years.

To Austin and Alisha- good luck and I hope I will see you again soon.