THE CONTEXT: This odd, beautiful story was the result of an encounter with a couple celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and reminiscing the early days of their marriage — traveling along the river — as they watched the cleanup efforts at the Markland Dam.
THE STORY: Looking out over the Markland Dam on Friday morning, Cindi Stover laughed under her breath as she and her husband, Don, watched crews free the grounded vessel from Wednesday evening’s wreck.
“Didn’t think we’d be here today, in this little box, on our anniversary.”
It may come as a surprise to many that the retired couple spent nearly eight hours of their 50th anniversary trip as spectators to a barge wreck, but for these Indiana natives, it made perfect sense.
“We’ve always been attracted by water,” Cindi’s husband explained with a grin. “It all started with water.”
Cindi told the 51-year-old story.
“I was standing on a bridge with my friend, when some young whippersnapper went under us in a boat with some girls.” She laughed a gentle laugh. “Come to find out he had gone and dropped off those girls and came right back for us.”
It didn’t take long for the two to marry. By the next year, they moved from Indianapolis to Cordry Lake near Nineveh and spent many of their weekends throughout the year on their small boat, traveling up and down the Ohio River around Madison. The Stovers knew the Markland locks well and used them often.
Fifty years later, the two stood, cold and bundled against a large window in a small box structure atop the Markland locks facility, waiting for the Jack James barge to be free to move downstream.
“It sure is cold in here,” Cindi observed. Don, reaching down to touch the baseboard heater, replied, “It’s on,” and quickly put his arm back around her side as the two watched the locks attentively.
“The river was our favorite thing about Madison,” Cindi started. Don continued. “It’s our first time we stayed at the Clifty Inn.”
“The river view and the view of Madison is beautiful, it’s much appreciated,” Cindi added. Don continued. “We’ve always been able to go off by ourselves and explore.”
“Remember those large, old wooden gates with the water leaking through them?” Don asked, glancing somewhere off in the distance. Cindi corrected, “Yeah, but that was in Florida — we were in Florida.”
“Oh, yeah – yeah, I remember.” Don said, laughing a little. The two moved after eight years of marriage to Florida to raise a family.
Cindi explained more. “We used to go a lot of weird places on our boat…you wouldn’t believe the places we’ve been in Florida… we explored inlands and waterways.”
Don finished. “We found water in places together I don’t think anyone’s ever thought of before. We saw a ‘gator on the banks I think was as big as our boat!”
“He sure was huge,” Cindi said with a large smile. Don explained. “We just enjoy it and utilize water wherever we are.”
The two took many of their weekends to freely explore, while their children stayed with grandparents.
“That’s why we moved to Missouri,” Cindi explained. Don continued. “It was a nice middle between our children and grandchildren and — wherever there’s water. That was two weeks before 9/11 — if we had waited any longer, we’d probably still be in Florida.”
The two held each other closely, watching the front section of the Jack James barges being released from the locks. “We’re getting old enough now that most of it’s watching…not so much doing,” Don explained calmly.
The two had spent the last week visiting Madison on an anniversary trip Cindi called their “golden years tour.”
But even this trip had its uncertainties.
“With all I’ve gone through, the chemo, radiation and major surgery, it was a whole summer long,” Cindi explained. “I didn’t think I’d make it this far so quickly.”
“Some things don’t go quite as well like when you were 40,” Don explained. Cindi replied. “No—no they don’t.”
“But we just keep doing, just enjoying life…we’ve had something in common from the beginning, and we’re always able to get in the car and take off to see what’s going on.”
The couple left for home in Missouri Friday evening They will spend the holidays “probably embellishing” the barge tales to their children and grandchildren.
“Maybe we’ll tell them it sank.” Cindi said as they were about to end their extended stay.
“Or maybe the crew came to take our advice on getting the barge out.” Don chimed in.
They laughed and headed on their way.
(PUBLISHED DECEMBER 22, 2018, THE MADISON COURIER)
