Shortridge High School - Annual Yearbook (Indianapolis, IN)

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llNIINllUlIIllIl Mui! THREE BASKETEERS JEAN E. UNDERWOOD ' fHE GAME was iinally over and the team dashed mad- ly to the locker-room. They had twenty-five min- utes in which to dress and then walk eleven blocks, in order to catch the trolley for the big city. Gee-no water, wailed Bob, a prominent mem- ber of the team. 'How can we be expected to find our way to the station and get there on time too? These dark, dinky, dingy streets are enough to get anybody lost. Hey, Rhinie, there isn't any water in the shower! Just then a stream of water splattered its way to 5. the iloor. at 'Sufferin' catsl, you don't know H20 when you see ' it. I may be green, but there are greener 'thingsi I didn't know water could be so cold without the aid of a frigidairef, yelled Jack, the youngest member of the team. Aw-quit your yelling and get dressed, we've only twenty minutes to get to he terminal, called one of the other players. Ten minutes had elapsed during which time the 'iBasketeers had dressed hurriedly-left the locker-room-and were now trudging downward, down a lonely street. 'Tm all for advocating sidewalks, wider curbstones, deeper gutters, and well-lighted streets for such a 'one-horse town' as this. Think of living in such a burg and never knowing how deep the next chuck-hole will be that you'll 'sock' your worthy 'pegsl in, stated Bill, another Basketeer. Aw-gee whiz-how can you fellows expect me to lug all of your uniforms in my satchel and walk fast enough to keep up with you 'empty-handed, guys? remonstrated Jack, the team flunky. When you are old and digniiied like us and time has weighed heavily on you-that's when you'll know how to do it, piped Johnny. Chug! Chug! Rattle! Rattle! 'fHey, Mister, will you take us to the trolley station? asked Bob. K'We've got to catch the 10:40 for the 'big city.' Half of the team's there and we're the 'excess baggage' 'Excess baggage'? piped up Jack. I don't notice you carrying a ton of baggage-guess you've got a bone in your arm. 'iDry up-we wanta ride, this came in unison. 'iAm I supposed to be 'suiiiciently squelched'? asked J ack-only to be ignored. Sure, boys, jump in and I'll be glad to take you to town, were the strang-

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mmlmmr A WINTER TRAMP wild cucumber vine with some pods on it which stirred slightly with the wind. Some great mint plants with their peculiar square stems stood head high among the milk-weed stalks and bushes. From one side to the other, the river was frozen with blocks of hummock ice. I scanned the banks in hopes of iinding some ducks, but not even one was to be seen. Brushing aside the snow, and poking under the dead leaves where I stood, a bright bit of green caught my attention. Hidden away from the rest of the world, leaves were forming on the plants which later would brighten the countryside with their beauty. The well known phrase of Shelley's came to my mind, If winter comes, can Spring be far behind? It is worth thinking about. Just before coming to the road, I noticed the tracks of a bird and looking closely, saw the marks the wings had made as the bird spread them to fly away. Walking briskly down the road, I heard a familiar rat-tat overhead. Looking up, I spied a downy woodpecker hanging upside down on the limb of an old elm tree, hunting for his dinner. On the other side of the road, a song-sparrow began to sing lustily, but ended abruptly on a high note in the middle of his song. Had he decided it was too cold to sing? I wonder. As a gust of wind blew the loose flakes of snow swirling down the road, the faint shouts from a coasting party echoed from the hill, and turning away, I started for home. , L 4: If Mums , 1 y r as ' 5 9 .. an O, 3 fo Hnifa Knox.

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mmmmg. THREE BASKETEERS er's welcoming words. It's taken the old, hop-skip j unkers thirty minutes to struggle ive miles, so we'll have to start a race against time to get to the station. A They all piled in and were beginning to breathe regularly again, when sud- denly- Sputter! Sputter! Bang! Bang-and the car rattled violently. 'KChicago, cried Johnny. Hold the tables, don't let the chairs fly-the gunmen approach. Well, fellas, this is a tough break--we're out of gas, said the stranger, knowingly. So long, guys-see you at practice Monday 'cause I'm leavin' you and heading for the trolley, called Jack, as he ran down the dark, slippery, de- serted street at a fairly good clip. He was holding his satchel in his arms and it bounced up and down, regularly-each time with a heavier and flatter thud. He visualized his team-mates spending the night in that forsaken, southern Indiana town. . K'Hey, Rhinie, some one yelled, Jump in 'cause we can't stopf' The junker had recovered from its spasm of stubbornness and Was now struggling its way through the narrow street at thirty miles an hour-and poor Jack expected to get in while it was going at such a gait. Wait a second-I'm not as fast as all that, panted Jack. Too bad, ole boy, we'll tell the coach not to expect you until you get home, called the basketeers to Jack who was stumbling his Way along the dark street. Gee-what a mess to be in-it's bliss one minute and blisters the next from slipping in these chuck holes, thought Jack. Heck-seven more blocks to go and only six minutes in which to do 'em in, he mumbled, looking at the dilapidated, wooden street sign. I'll be-I don't know anyone in this 'burg'-home is 'bout fifty miles away-Iive only got two fifty on me-I sure am sunk. Three painful minutes elapsed and Jack had only reached Fifth street, and was fairly tired out. What a night for sailors--it's colder than ten or twelve North poles and there's a blinding snow to boot. Wish I hadn't left my gloves in that locker- room-my fingers feel like liquid oxygen, worse, if possible. Those lucky guys-all warm and probably on their way home-what a horrifying thought. Heck. I feel as if I had water on the brain, floating ribs, and nautical com- plications! This crazy satchel weighs a ton. If I had a million dollars, I'd donate half of it to buy chairs for the 'standing army' and the other half