Remembering Doug Howard

I grew up in Indiana. I attended a very standard suburban public school, lived in a house with a yard, in a neighborhood with a lake, in a city with little more to notice than the final resting place of Johnny Appleseed. Which is what made it so memorable when Doug Howard moved in next door to me when I was in the 5th grade.
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Doug was much older than I was - he was a junior in high school. His aunt and uncle - the Griffins - lived next door. They were an older couple, and they had a collie named Tag. Doug was their nephew. They didn't have children of their own. Doug had grown up in Lafayette Indiana, but had always run with the wrong crowd. A crowd that included Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin (who were themselves a few years older than Doug). Eventually Doug was kicked out of his high school in Lafayette, which is when his aunt and uncle agreed to take him in.

To say Doug didn't fit in with the preppy suburban kids is a huge understatement. He hated them. But for some reason - perhaps lack of other friends - he took a shine to me. Some days after school I would go to his house to shoot pool in the basement. Doug always had dip in his mouth. He dipped constantly even though it was a huge infraction at school, and not even legal for minors. I remember he would stack all of his empty Skoal cans on his desk in his room and I couldn't believe he didn't hide them from this aunt and uncle! But of course, what did he care. He was also the first person I ever saw play that game where you put your open hand on a book and as quickly as possible stab a knife between each of your fingers back and forth until you miss. He always carried a switchblade, which was of course also a big no-no in school. Doug also played electric guitar, which I thought was really cool. So, anyway - for at least a half-year, this is how I spent 2-3 afternoons a week. Afternoons with Doug, in the Griffin's house.

You won't be surprised to know that Doug eventually got kicked out of our school system. It all happened pretty fast, and overnight he was gone. His aunt and uncle sent him back to Lafayette. I'm sure it was hard on them. He never really respected them or their rules, and certainly disappointed them by getting kicked out of school. It must have been hard for them. They were older - in their early 60s or so, and since they never had children of their own were really not cut out for the situation. I remember they seemed to fluctuate between tough love and trying to be understanding - but what they probably never realized is that Doug just didn't care. Their suburban home, with the yard, and the lake, and the preppies all around was the last place he ever wanted to be. And so it was.

I never saw Doug Howard again. And really haven't thought about him much either. Reading these GnR posts today reminded me of him though. I loved Guns and Roses, and because Doug actually grew up with these rock and roll heroes, I thought of him in those same hero terms. Still do really.