The Making of a Raider（英文）

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Historical humor and personal reminiscence. Original opinions and comic exaggeration are preserved as the writer’s period account.

Looking through my closet, and wishing I hadn’t donated my Army fatigues to the Goodwill, I wondered, “What would Indiana Jones wear on a mission like this?” I settled for denim jeans, a striped shirt with three buttons missing, a pair of old riding boots, and after looking out the window, a waterproof jacket with hood. I left my passport, cyanide tablet, and secret message decoder in my dresser drawer, along with my “Walther PPK,” trusting I would not need them.

My contact had told me I would be supplied with all the necessary equipment.

After saying farewell to my wife and daughter, I gazed at my surroundings as if seeing them for the last time. I arrived at the meeting place, Skinker and Forest Park Blvds., and waited inconspicuously for one of the raiders to identify me by the yellow carnation I wore in my waistband and give me the “secret password.” No one approached me. I dared to come closer, wondering if the raid had started without me. Then I saw the rest of them, too many to count at a glance, with women and children among them. I must say they were well-equipped, with shovels, rakes, and brooms.

Then, somewhere out of the bushes, a voice called.

Not hearing the password, I did not respond.

A stranger walked toward me, with a shovel in one hand and a large green bag (full of treasures, no doubt) and said, “Are you here to help?” Beads of perspiration began to form on my brow, then I saw it, his badge.

It was round with green and white. Written boldly across its face, “Raiders of the Lost Parkway.” I had found the raiders, or had they found me?

It dawned on me that the real mission was to restore the parkway to a resemblance of its former beauty without the eyesore of the aluminum cans, broken bottles, and debris tossed from automobiles by thoughtless passengers.

There were also mounds of weeds, leaves, and broken tree limbs to be removed.

We marshaled our forces and began the enormous task before us.

There we were, all of us with a stake in this community, and wanting the rest of the world to recognize our pride and our concern for this relic from the 1904 World’s Fair.

Although our plans were to start at Skinker and end at Kingshighway, we stopped short at DeBaliviere, only because the barricades were to be removed and traffic would resume.

We were not short of enthusiasm. Afterwards, we enjoyed hot dogs, soft drinks, and beer.

A good round of conversation was had by all, each with his own heroic experience and the quarters that turned out to be bottle caps.

On one thing we all agreed — we had done a good deed.

So when the call goes out to “Join the Raiders,” feel safe to join in.

The worst that could happen is you might get your hands dirty.

The best thing is that you could help build pride in your community and earn your own “Raiders of the Lost Parkway” badge.

Originally published in The Paper, October 1981.

Read this article in the original newspaper issue.

Original source: SD_Times1981_10.pdf, printed page(s) 5; PDF page(s) 5.