Op Ed Colby Free Press Wednesday, March 3, 2004 Page 3 Guess you could call They were a good bunch of people Harry Higgins’ daughters asked As the years went by, three of the for recollections and stories about four couples bought cabins at the it a super-duper mess their father for his funeral. Steve Haynes city lake, and the social life shifted My home is a wreck. I couldn’t think of one single out there. It was a great place to be, It wasn’t this big of a Cynthia story that would tell you about Along but as pre-teens, we hated the iso- mess when I had three Harry, which is odd, because I’ve ¥ the Sappa lation. children at home. Haynes known him all my life. There are times when I’d give After refinancing the Where do I start? anything to go back to those simple house last year, we de- Open Harry and his wife Betty were days, though. cided to do a little re- ¥ part of a circle of friends who lived Harry was the successful sales decorating. We’ve lived Season their lives, raised their children and group. Their lives and their families house was work enough. manager of a successful local firm. here for 10 years and enjoyed each other’s company in were intertwined over the years in The group wasn’t constantly to- Then the company changed and have only painted one through the house is to walk side- Emporia, in eastern Kansas. a unique bond that almost defies gether. I don’t remember that many they bought him out. That was hard, room — actually the children ways. Harry decided that he wasn’t get- description. They all led middle- times when all four couples were in but as things turned out, maybe for painted it and it’s a lovely blue. The dining room table is sitting in ting enough from dialysis treat- class lives, striving for the Ameri- one place, and there were others the best. The rest of the house, however, the middle of the living room and ments to make it worth the pain and can dream in that GI-bill era after who came and went. He and Betty lived well in their needed an overhaul, and with 10 the china cabinet and cedar chest are suffering. He told the doctor he was World War II. They thought they But we were always at retirement as they watched the oth- years of equity and a lower interest in the middle of the dining room. going home and having a shot of could raise their kids well in a small somebody’s house to visit in the ers die off one by one. rate, we were able to talk the bank Everything had to be moved to the scotch. Kansas town. evening. The adults would have That era is pretty much gone. into some remodeling money. center of the room so the painters That was Harry. He loved his Harry and Betty had come down highballs. The kids went to play. Rare is the marriage where both We are in the process of painting could work. scotch, and he knew when to fold. from Kansas City, Kansas, as my There were other couples who partners don’t work. three bedrooms, a sitting room, the At the same time we’ve had elec- I’m sure it wasn’t an easy deci- folks had. Harry was a salesman, joined, but those four were eternal. There may be people who form living room, the dining room and tricians putting up a new light fix- sion. Betty had a stroke several my dad a lawyer. There was Lamar My brother said the thing he re- that kind of lifelong bond, but the two bathrooms. We’ve also decided ture in the dining room. At the mo- years ago and is in a nursing home. and Zelma Dee Markowitz; Lamar membered was when they got to- way we move around today, I think to do the kitchen but not until every- ment the old fixture is stored in the I know he hated to leave her. They’d profane and funny, a contractor who gether, they were having fun. it’s harder. thing else is done. We will be basement and the dining room ceil- been together since before the war, built a good business but always There wasn’t a jerk in the bunch. More of us live in cities, and the recarpeting three rooms and two ing has a bare bulb. The new fixture 64 years. talked like a ditch digger. Bob and They were all nice people, honest, social structure is different. stairways. will have a ceiling fan and that re- The last day, he waited until the Lucy Foncannon rounded out the hard-working, successful. Their But that was a time, and that was The painters have been in and out quires more work than just pulling girls could bring their mom up to see group; he was a banker. children turned out the same way. a gang. I miss them all. for the last two weeks. They have one thing down and shoving an- him before he let go. Everyone fig- None of the wives, in those They were good couples. There ——————————— finished our bedroom and it is in other up. Still, I’m not complaining. ured he just wanted to say good- 1950s-Leave-It-to-Beaver, days, was never a divorce. If there was Steve and Cynthia Haynes are pretty good shape. I was worried The single 100-watt bulb gives bye. had an regular outside job. They infidelity, it must have been awfully owners of Nor’West Newspapers, that we wouldn’t be able to sleep more light than the ornate antique My folks were part of that social thought raising kids and keeping discreet. including the Colby Free Press. there for the two nights that it was fixture that was just removed. It had being done, but the fumes were five sockets and none of them minimal and it hasn’t been too bad. worked. The rest of the house is a differ- To add to the mess, we had wall- ent matter. We couldn’t use the paper in both bathrooms and the downstairs bathroom for two days dining room that had to be removed. and that drove me crazy both be- There are little bits and pieces of it cause that’s where the tub is — everywhere. I’m sure the cats are upstairs we have a shower — and responsible for a good deal of the because like a little child, I’m used mess, but the house looks like there to rushing in the back door at the last has been a confetti war and it lost. minute and now I had to run all the I can’t wait for the painting to be way upstairs. done. Then the crew will come in While our bedroom is usable, the and pull up all the carpeting. Even other three are not, that includes the the room the kids painted needs new Doonesbury one the kids painted last year. Two carpet. All those things stored in of the bedrooms are full of furniture there and in the other bedrooms will • Gary Trudeau that belongs somewhere else and have to be moved — not to where the third is the repository of all the they belong — that area is still un- painter’s equipment. der construction — but somewhere, The sitting room is getting back probably my bedroom. into shape, but I still can’t find half I know everything will look great my stuff and there is a two-wheeler when the painting and carpeting is sitting under one edge of the couch. done and we have a new light fix- That worries me a little. ture. Then everything will go back The living and dining rooms are in its place and we’ll be back to our total disasters. Please, please don’t normal messiness instead of this visit me. The only way to get super-duper mess. Check each issue of the Free Press for additional TV Listings

TV LISTINGS sponsored by the COLBY FREE PRESS

WEEKDAYS MARCH 2 - MARCH 8 THURSDAY MARCH 4

6AM 6:30 7 AM 7:30 8 AM 8:30 9 AM 9:30 10 AM 10:30 11 AM 11:30 6PM6:30 7 PM 7:30 8 PM 8:30 9 PM 9:30 10 PM 10:30 11 PM 11:30 KLBY/ABC News Good Morning America The John Walsh The View Holly- News KLBY/ABC (5:59) Ent. St. Jude’s Life After Extreme Primetime News Nightline Jimmy Kimmel Live Hh Show wood Hh News Tonight Children’s Hospital Makeover (CC) Thursday (CC) (CC) (CC) Jerry Springer. (CC) KSNK/NBC News Cont’d Today Live With Regis Martha Stewart KSNK/NBC News Wheel of Friends Will & The Apprentice (N) Princess Diana: News The Tonight Show Late Lk and Kelly Living Lk Fortune (CC) Grace (CC) The Secret Tapes (CC) Night (N) KBSL/CBS News The Early Show The 700 Club The Price Is Right The Young and the KBSL/CBS News Friends Survivor: All-Stars CSI: Crime Scene Without a Trace News Late Show Viggo Late 1< NX Restless 1< NX (CC) (CC) Outraged (N) (CC) Investigation Copy Cat (CC) (CC) Mortensen; Sting. Late K15CG World Priscilla- Body Caillou Boohbah Barney- Dragon Lions Sesame Street Clifford- Teletub- K15CG The NewsHour Sun- Kansas The New This Old Frontline Inside the BBC Keeping Charlie Rose (N) e News Yoga Electric Friends Tales Red bies e With Jim Lehrer flower Spotlight House Hour (CC) Teenage Brain (CC) World Up (CC) WGN Creflo A. Believer Celebrity Hillbil- Hillbil- Happy Matlock In the Heat of the Rockford Files WGN Will & Home Columbo Identity Crisis A cunning News (CC) Becker Becker Elimi- The 5th NZ Dollar Jr. Voice Justice lies lies Days Night NZ Grace Improve. advertising consultant leads a double life. (CC) (CC) date Wheel NICK Oddpar- Rocket Rugrats Spon- Max & Rubba- Dora the Blue’s Dora the Blue’s Little Bill Maggie- NICK Rugrats Spon- Oddpar- Nick- Full Full Cosby Cosby Rose- Rose- Cosby Cosby Oa ents Power geBob Ruby dubbers Explorer Clues Explorer Clues Beast Oa (CC) geBob ents toons TV House House Show Show anne anne Show Show FAM Digimon Bey- Power Digimon Growing Living The 700 Club 7th Heaven Full Growing FAM 7th Heaven Life and Movie: The Flintstones TTZ (1994, Whose Whose The 700 Club (CC) America’s Funniest PW blade Rangers Pains the Life House Pains PW Death (Part 1 of 2) Comedy) John Goodman. Line? Line? Home Videos (CC) USA JAG Nash Bridges Movie Varied Programs Movie Varied USA JAG Flight Risk Law & Order: Movie: Bring It On TTZ (2000, Comedy) High-school Movie: Jawbreaker TT (1999, PX PX (CC) Special Victims cheerleaders vie for a coveted national title. Comedy) Rose McGowan. (CC) TBS Saved Saved Movie Dawson’s Creek Dawson’s Creek Saved Saved TBS Seinfeld Friends Movie: Rush Hour TTT (1998) (PA) Two Movie: Jackie Chan’s First Strike TTZ Movie: Lionheart P^ by Bell by Bell by Bell by Bell P^ (CC) (CC) detectives join forces in a kidnapping case. (1996, Adventure) (PA) Jackie Chan. (CC) TT (1990) (PA) (CC) TNT The Lost World The Pretender Charmed ER ER Judging Amy TNT NBA Tip- NBA Basketball: Sacramento Kings at Philadelphia NBA Basketball: Detroit Pistons at Portland Trail Inside P_ P_ Off (Live) 76ers. Wachovia Center. (Live) (CC) Blazers. Rose Garden. (Live) (CC) the NBA DSC Paid Paid Varied Paid Assignment The Christopher It’s Christopher Rally Round the DSC New Detectives: Monster House Mega-Excavators: More Than Human Monster House Mega-Excavators: QY Program Program Program Discovery Lowell Show Lowell! House QY Forensic Science Jurassic House (CC) Reshape the World Why? Why? Jurassic House (CC) Reshape the World A&E Varied Programs Movie Murder, She Wrote Murder, She Wrote City Confidential A&E American Justice Cold Case Files Homicide detectives take With Malice Bodies Third Watch Cold Case Files Q^ Q^ (CC) a lovers-lane bandit into custody. (CC) on a rundown estate. Judgement Day (CC) ESPN SportsCenter SportsCenter SportsCenter SportsCenter SportsCenter SportsCenter ESPN Sports- NHL Hockey: New York Rangers at Boston Bruins. Timeless (N) SportsCenter (Live) Rome Is Burning Qa Qa Center FleetCenter. (Live) (CC) (CC) (N) (CC) HBO Movie Varied Programs Movie Varied Programs Movie HBO Movie: Shallow Hal TTZ (2001, Comedy) Movie: FeardotCom TZ (2002, Making Taxicab Movie: Antwone i i Gwyneth Paltrow, Jack Black. (CC) Horror) Stephen Dorff. (CC) Dead. Confessions 7 Fisher (2002) (CC) DISN JoJo’s Stanley The JoJo’s The Stanley Rolie Rolie Out of PB&J Koala The DISN Sister, Lizzie Movie: You Wish! (2003, Fantasy) A.J. Sister, Boy Mts. Kim Proud Even Sister, N^ Circus Wiggles Circus Wiggles Polie Polie the Box Otter Brothers Wiggles N^ Sister McGuire Trauth, Spencer Breslin. (CC) Sister World Possible Family Stevens Sister MAX Movie Cont’d Movie Varied Movie Varied Programs Movie Varied Programs MAX (5:20) Movie: Movie: Deliver Us From Eva TTZ (2003, Movie: Half Past Dead T Best Sex Movie: Hot Club OX OX Private Parts (1997) Romance-Comedy) LL Cool J. (CC) (2002, Action) Steven Seagal. Ever California (2000)

WEEKDAYS MARCH 2 - MARCH 8 FRIDAY MARCH 5

12 PM 12:30 1 PM 1:30 2 PM 2:30 3 PM 3:30 4 PM 4:30 5 PM 5:30 6PM 6:30 7PM 7:30 8 PM 8:30 9 PM 9:30 10 PM 10:30 11 PM 11:30 KLBY/ABC All My Children One Life to Live General Hospital Dr. Phil Judge Judge News ABC Wld KLBY/ABC (5:59) Ent. George Married- Hope & Life With 20/20 (N) (CC) News Nightline Jimmy Kimmel Live Hh Judy Judy News Hh News Tonight Lopez Kellys Faith (N) Bonnie (CC) (CC) (N) (CC) KSNK/NBC News Family Days of Our Lives Passions Inside Family Million- Jeop- News NBC KSNK/NBC News Wheel of Dateline NBC (CC) Dateline NBC (N) Third Watch Family News The Tonight Show Late Lk Feud Edition Feud aire ardy! News Lk Fortune (CC) Ties (N) (Part 2 of 2) (CC) Night (N) KBSL/CBS News Bold, As the World Turns Guiding Light The People’s Court Oprah Winfrey News CBS KBSL/CBS News Friends Joan of Arcadia JAG Touchdown 48 Hours News Late Show (N) (CC) Late 1< NX Beautiful News 1< NX (CC) (CC) (CC) (CC) (DVS) Investigates (CC) (CC) Late K15CG Reading Mister Varied Programs George Beren. Liberty’s Cyber- Arthur Zoom Busi- K15CG The NewsHour Wash. Wall- Market- John Wooden: Values, BBC Red Charlie Rose (N) e Rainbow Rogers Shrinks Bears Kids chase ness e With Jim Lehrer Week Fortune Market Victory and Peace of Mind World Green (CC) WGN News In the Heat of the Street Street Cosby Cosby Fresh Fresh Home Will & WGN Will & Home Columbo A network executive plans to News (CC) Becker Becker Elimi- The 5th NZ Night Smarts Smarts Show Show Prince Prince Improve. Grace NZ Grace Improve. murder her boss. (CC) (CC) date Wheel NICK Max & Dora the Rugrats Rugrats Hey Angela Oddpar- U-Pick Spon- Amanda U-Pick Hey NICK Rugrats Spon- Spon- Spon- Spon- Spon- Cosby Cosby Rose- Rose- Cosby Cosby Oa Ruby Explorer Arnold! Anacon. ents geBob Arnold! Oa (CC) geBob geBob geBob geBob geBob Show Show anne anne Show Show FAM Family Family Step by Step by So Little Full 7th Heaven Switche- Knock Full Full FAM 7th Heaven Life and Movie: Summer Catch TT (2001, Whose Whose The 700 Club (CC) Paid Paid PW Matters Matters Step Step Time House d! First House House PW Death (Part 2 of 2) Comedy-Drama) Freddie Prinze Jr.. (CC) Line? Line? Program Program USA JAG Varied Texas Varied Programs Walker, Texas USA JAG JAG TV (CC) Law & Order: Law & Order: Monk Mr. Monk Law & Order: Monk Mr. Monk PX Ranger Ranger PX Special Victims Special Victims Goes to Jail (N) (CC) Criminal Intent Goes to Jail (CC) TBS Cosby Cosby Cosby Fresh Fresh Steve Steve Drew Drew Home Home Seinfeld TBS Seinfeld Friends Movie: Rush Hour 2 (2001) Vacationing Movie: Rush Hour 2 (2001) Vacationing Movie: Mr. Nice P^ Show Show Prince Prince Harvey Harvey Carey Carey Improve. Improve. P^ (CC) (CC) cops in Hong Kong search for a bomber. cops in Hong Kong search for a bomber. Guy TTZ (1997) TNT Law & Order NYPD Blue NYPD Blue Judging Amy Angel Charmed TNT Law & Order Law & Order The Movie: Seven TTTZ (1995) A killer dispatches his Movie: Dracula 2000 T (2000, P_ P_ Scrambled Fire This Time victims via the Seven Deadly Sins. Brad Pitt. (CC) Horror) Christopher Plummer. DSC Surprise by Design Surprise by Design Rally Round the Double Agents Varied Programs DSC Monster House Monster House American Chopper American Hot Rod Monster House American Chopper QY House QY Mardi Gras House (CC) Leno Bike 2 Alumatub 2 (N) (CC) Leno Bike 2 A&E American Justice Movie Murder, She Wrote Murder, She Wrote City Confidential A&E American Justice: Movie: Escape From Alcatraz TTT (1979) A convict Airline Third Watch Movie: Escape Q^ Q^ Killing Field plots to escape from the notorious island prison. (CC) (CC) Firestarter (CC) From Alcatraz TTT ESPN Varied Programs Billiards Around Interrup- SportsCenter ESPN NBA Shootaround NBA Basketball: Dallas Mavericks at San Antonio NBA Basketball: New Jersey Nets at Golden State Qa the Horn tion Qa (Live) (CC) Spurs. SBC Center. (Live) (CC) Warriors. The Arena in Oakland. (Live) (CC) HBO Movie Varied Programs Movie Varied Programs HBO (4:45) Movie: Mrs. Real Time (Live) Movie: Eraser TTZ (1996) A government Curb- Real Time (CC) Movie: i i Doubtfire (1993) (CC) agent protects a witness from gunrunners. Enthsm DISN JoJo’s Stanley Winnie- House of House of Recess Lilo & Recess Kim Proud Even Sister, DISN That’s- Lizzie Movie: Seventeen Again TZ (2000, Barbar- That’s- Kim Proud Even Sister, N^ Circus Pooh Mouse Mouse Stitch Possible Family Stevens Sister N^ Raven McGuire Fantasy) Tia Mowry, Tamera Mowry. (CC) ian Raven Possible Family Stevens Sister MAX Movie Varied Programs Movie Varied Programs Movie Varied Movie MAX (5:30) Movie: The Movie: Queen of the Damned TZ (2002, Movie: Basic TT (2003, Best Sex Movie: Young and OX OX Girl Gets Moe (CC) Horror) Stuart Townsend, Aaliyah. (CC) Suspense) John Travolta. (CC) Ever Seductive (2003)