The mercury’s pushing 90 here and summer is in full swing.
Local strawberries are for sale, and everyone readies for tonight’s annual corn roast.
Last fall, we visited Larry’s barbershop on Main Street, a time when Larry Hine said he didn’t give too much thought to the war.
Today, he worries.
“I don’t know if there’s a way out there. A good way out. I really don’t know,” Hine says.
Across town at Marv’s — roughly same price for a haircut — it’s the same sentiment.
“It should be, completely get out!” resident Ben Dangerfield says. “We had no business going in there in the first place.”
Here in Crown Point they voted Republican in the last election and take pride in their patriotism and president. But, as another summer sets in, many are beginning to ask when the troops are coming home.
“He got Saddam Hussein out, but now he doesn't know how to get the rest of the country straight,” says Charlyne Clark.
With school out, moms and tots meet in the park to paint and chat.
“It would be nice if it felt like we would eventually be able to get out of there, but there's things that are happening now that kind of feel like Vietnam,” says Patty Lucas.
We revisited the local diner and found unwavering support for the president, but concern.
“I think he's doing pretty good; people should let him do what he wants to do,” says Kristopher McDowell.
“I think we should support our troops, but I think we're in over our head,” says Joan Kryspin.
That is the real consensus in this heartland town of 20,000, which has already had one local boy die.
“They give so much and it's so important to them that they accomplish what it is that they need to accomplish there,” says Heather Killion.
Politics aside, everyone keeps the troops in their hearts.