Anna Remembered

At Purdue, the computer programming technology department, or CPT as it was known by the students and staff alike, was somewhat of a clickish place. As you would expect, there were geeks a-plenty. There were also the teacher’s pets, which surprised me, having thought that I’d leave those behind in high school. We had a few stoners, and a couple of born-agains. We also had a fair number of people who just didn’t fit into any single category. I was one of those.

So was Anna.

Anna was an interesting woman. She had already received a degree in psychology before even considering computers. I never asked her too much about her previous studies, being somewhat self-conscious that she’d turn her powers of observation toward me and discover exactly how goofy I really was! That said, Anna always had a unique kind of insight with those around her.

Anna wore her flaming red hair in a wild cloud of tight little curls that surrounded her face. I have to admit that I was always a little jealous of Anna’s hair. It was beautiful, and it fit her nature to a T. Anna was a passionate woman, but her passions tended to burn deep in her soul. I don’t think I ever heard her raise her voice in anger, but she could convey her displeasure without ambiguity. She pursued her goals with that same passion and fervor.

Toward the end of our college career, one of Anna’s goals was courting Jason.

I knew Jase independently of knowing Anna. He was a musician and a fellow geek, and we met one fateful day in Purdue’s robotics shops where I came stumping around looking for help with an art project.

Even though I’d like to lay claim to introducing the two of them, I can’t. I’m not positive but I’m pretty sure that that honor belongs to Joe Adams, who was a band-mate of Jase’s and also a college friend of Anna’s. In any event, pretty shortly after they were introduced, Anna had set her sights on making a relationship with Jase.

It’s funny, but even though I was dating Sharon at the time, I was a little jealous of Anna’s attentions toward him. You see, through much of my CPT years I had a little crush on that cute redhead who always filled the lab with her vibrant personality. And though I love Jase as a brother, for a short while I had wanted her smile to be directed at me instead of him.

Anna later followed Jase out to Boston during his short stint at the American Rep, supposedly just to visit a friend. I knew better. I had seen her pursue other dreams. Anna was after her man!

I’m not sure if at the time Jase was even aware of the significance of that little visit. That’s not to say that he wasn’t appreciative! As I said, Jase was like a brother to me, and we often talked in the manner of two young guys. He made it quite clear how attractive he found both Anna’s physical attributes as well as her warm and sparkling nature.

Well, at one point during the infancy of their relationship, the three of us decided to share a few beers under the summer stars. Now, this sounds like a simple enough goal, but I don’t think that Jase and I ever did anything simply. That night was no exception. Instead of just heading out to Hort Park like any sane folk, the three of us decided to walk down the tracks and cross the trestle that ran over the Wabash and led into downtown Lafayette.

We hopped into the car and drove down to the far side of campus. We parked by the power plant and some of the more distant student apartment buildings. Once there, we headed for the embankment that led down to the tracks. Although close to campus, this place was a wild and overgrown area that was part forest, part scrub, and part construction zone. One of the interesting features of this place was Concrete Mountain, where the mixing trucks used to dump their excess loads. It stood off on it’s own, about a hundred feet to the side of the tracks. We past it by that night, having other destinations in mind instead.

The trestle beckoned.

We started walking down the tracks surrounded by trees and the night sounds of birds and small animals. We popped open a few of the beers and talked about the minutia of life in a small Midwestern college town.

Jase was originally from Chicago and Anna was from Long Island. I was an Indiana native, and even though I would never admit it, I looked up to my two worldly friends. I loved spending time with them and hearing their stories.

The trestle was only about a mile ahead, but before getting there we needed to cross the rail overpass that spanned South River Road. Not a worry. That overpass was wide and built of stone, and the road it passed over was rarely used at that time of night. We crossed it with nary a thought, ignoring the lone car driving underneath us.

That night would have turned out much differently had that lone car ignored us as well.

It didn’t.

The cop inside that lone car didn’t like the thought of three college punks trespassing on railroad property. A second after spotting us he hit his lights and siren and then screeched his car over to the side of the road. We didn’t hang around to find out what he wanted.

As one, we turned and sprinted back toward campus. At the time Jase was carrying the beer. Also at the time, Jase was underage and legally not allowed to be drinking beer in the State of Indiana. He chucked the remainder of the two six-packs into the brush as we ran down the tracks. At the time I was pissed at the waste, but in hindsight I guess I’ll concede that it -might- have been the right choice.

The three of us only stayed together for a couple of minutes or so when Jase seemed to just up and disappear. The noble goal of self-preservation kept Anna and I so focused on our escape that we didn’t even know he was gone until we had reached the trees growing beside the embankment. Instantly Anna was concerned. She wanted to go back looking for him, but I was finally able to convince her of the folly of that plan. The two of us would surely get busted if we went back, and Jase was a big boy, able to take care of himself. She hesitantly agreed, and the two of us made our way through the trees toward the car.

We had parked in a lot beside a student apartment block, but once we go there we realized just how suspicious the two of us looked, standing by the side of the car. Jase had the keys in his pocket, so waiting inside the car was out of the question. We must have looked pretty nervous standing there, because after just a moment we heard a voice calling to us from above.

Now, it wasn’t Divine intervention that saved us that night. It was a group of partying college students drinking it up on a third floor balcony in one of the apartments above. They looked down on us and in a moment compassion realized our dilemma.

“The cops chasin you? Come on up here and have a beer!”, one of them shouted. Good ol’ Indiana boys…

Anna and I took them up on their invitation. As soon as we walked in their door, they handed us a pair of plastic cups and directed us to the keg out on the balcony. We headed out, got our drinks, and sat down next to the guy who had shouted to us in the first place. Before we had the chance to explain our situation, the patrol car rolled through the parking lot and did the job for us.

The whole apartment erupted in laughter and Anna and I were instantly the hit of the party for our daring escape from the cops.

About fifteen minutes later, a brush covered and bedraggled Jase wandered into the parking lot toward the car. I still don’t know if he was relieved or annoyed when Anna shouted down to him to come up and join the party.

For the two of them, it was a party that lasted for about 17 years. Anna and Jase were married a few years after our fugitive run from justice. They later had three wonderful children as they made their home in our sleepy little college town.

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Anna passed this weekend after a long battle with cancer. She leaves behind a huge void where her bubbly personality and her unique passion for life will never be replaced. She will be loved and missed by all of us who were blessed to have known her.


-Jessica