Beautiful sunny April afternoons never ought to be spent listening to indoor lectures -- while sitting on uncomfortable folding chairs. However, IF some particular orator bears credentials of a Fulbright Scholar, a professorship, a Ph.D, a near Pulitzer prize, a notable recognition from TIME Magazine, and several stunning novels as well as a much loved poetry anthology, just such an opportunity qualifies as one not to be missed. Alerted (by a very special gentleman named Terry) to William Heath's Columbia City appearance located just around the corner one unseasonably temperate Saturday recently, Don and I strolled a couple of blocks to soon become enraptured by a very fast-paced 90 minutes of scintillating 'local color" stories as related by Dr. Heath. This Ohio "Buck-Eye", currently a Maryland resident, discussed a Hoosier native son called William Wells, a.k.a. "Blacksnake", who got himself kidnapped/adopted by the Miami Indians -- at age 14 -- and embraced the cultures of both the white man and the Native American while becoming quite legendarynot unlike the young Revolutionary War hero/spy Abraham Woodhull featured in the current AMC Sunday evening televised series entitled "Turn", to which we are hopelessly addicted. Wells/ "Blacksnake", who no doubt frequented Whitley County's stomping grounds, became the son-in-law of our very own Chief Little Turtle. Frank Bergeron writes that " 'Blacksnake's Path' tells the remarkable story of William Wells, an Indian captive turned Indian fighter-scout-spy-translator-agent, in a way that alters our sense of American Indian history."Having freshly acquired a personal, autographed collection of the professor's novels which blend history with fiction and have earned praise from "The Washington Post", "Publishers Weekly", "Kirkus Review", Bob Leuci, Joyce Carol Oates, and James A. McPherson, I've got some serious reading ahead of me! In 2002, TIME magazine online named "The Children Bob Moses Led -- A Novel of Freedom Summer" (focusing on the civil rights movement in Mississippi) as one of the eleven best novels of the African American experience. A pending novel entitled "William Wells and the Struggle for the Old Northwest" is to be published by the University of Oklahoma Press in 2015. I cannot wait to read the amiable professor's suspense novel "Devil Dancer" -- which seems destined to become a PBS Masterpiece Theater event in my estimation -- as it transports the reader to the Kentucky Bluegrass region via the dark, intriguing tale of a prize stallion and the pursuit of the thoroughbred's murderer. One reviewer deems this story "an edgy un-put-downable novel" (), and from the back cover: "While contemporary in its sensibility, 'Devil Dancer' draws upon some of the oldest literary traditions of all:to sustain each other and a mortal man's confrontation with the mystery of."Speaking of my unabashed reverence for each and every species of the animal kingdom, the original and specific reason for our attendance at the recent week-end presentation by Dr. Heath involved reuniting with a pal from over 30 years ago whom we have admired since attending his "Theatre for Ideas" (New Television for a New Decade) in 1981 to say "Hey" to "Garfield" comic strip artist and college chum Jim Davis in the 1970s! Thus, the last time we chatted with Terry Doran, we -- Don, Susie, "little" Roy, Jim. and Terry -- all stood together laughing and joking in a small room of the Allen County Library…! We endured Columbia City's rigid folding chairs JUST to reacquaint ourselves with this special person hailing from Ft. Wayne where he contributes "must-read" stunning uplifting editorial/op ed pieces to the NEWS-SENTINEL on a regular basis. I print themfor my files. Each one is laced with kindness, intelligence, common sense, fairness, a love of humanity, a respect for all sentient beings and repeated themes of the necessity for peace. My favorite of his essays assumed the format of an open letter of apology to Marius, the unfortunate year-old Danish giraffe slaughtered by the misguided director of a Copenhagen zoo in Denmark. Startled school children observed the execution as well as the detailed butchering of Marius who got fed to the establishment's lions as the attendees watched. Terry decidedly upgraded this heinous, unnecessary tragedy into a poignant, thought-provoking, cautionary plea for manKIND to mend its ways. [Click here to read.] Unforgettable. Inspirational. Truthful. Healing.Terry's conclusion to his essay entitledQuite a satisfactory Saturday outing…populated by a renowned professorial historian/novelist, Native Americans, a famous Hoosier named William Wells, Chief Little Turtle, young Civil Rights activists circa 1964, terrific animals including a comic strip cat called "Garfield" and racehorse "Devil Dancer" and a martyred gentle giraffe known as Marius -- all gathered in one small sunlit room. Thanks, Terry Doran, for the invitation and for valuable lessons learned and for friendships renewed during a very informative 90 minutes during this Easter season, 2014!“In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the creatures that move along the ground. Bow and sword and battle I will abolish from the land, so that all may lie down in safety.”“The wolf shalllive with the lamb,the leopard shalllie down with the kid,the calf and the lionand the fatling together,and a little childshall lead them.The cow and the bear shallgraze, their young shalllie down together;and the lion shalleat straw like the ox…"___________________From: Jim DavisSent: Friday, March 08, 2013 12:17 PMCc: Jim DavisSubject: Hey!Hey, Susie!Your son, Roy emailed a few months ago to say that you are a published author. Congratulations! Whether right out of school, or later in life, it’s nice to see folks get to do something that they really enjoy. I can tell from your writing that you’re really enjoying the process. Good luck with book two… and three… and four. And say “hi” to Don for me. I’ve been to your site several times. Roy gave me the url when he first wrote. Great stuff!Jim________________________Terry Doran: "What an absolutely beautiful piece of writing art in Talk of the Town. I'm humbled, Wow! ... I sent Bill Heath the column. Here's what he said: 'Many thanks for passing on Susie's wonderful article to me, Terry. Please thank her for me. If only there were thousands more like her! But as I note in my Afterword to Devil Dancer, I write for what Stendhal termed 'the happy few.' I'm in Greenwood, Mississippi, right now, on a book tour for The Children Bob Moses Led. Best wishes, Bill.'"Kat Kelly Heinzelman: "Way to go Miss Susie I'm so proud of you maybe I could hear it sometime. Take care and Keep up the writing I love reading your articles I learn something new all the time. I love y'all too!!! thanks for being here when I need a smile."Jim Davis: "A real blast from the past! Thanks for sharing, Roy and Happy Easter."Jennifer Zartman Romano: "All those reconnections are fun! I wish I hadn't missed it -- it would've been nice to see you all!"Beverly Williams: "My sister, Mary, tells me that Susie (was in her high school class) is a very wonderful writer....."Jo Powers Biddle: "I LOVED reading and remembering about the Carol and Corky show! I wonder if your mom remembers inviting me to watch the program with her on more than one occasion...before my family had a TV?"Mary Shaull: "It's raining here in Florida, and you brightened my day, as I read Susie's latest, delightful remarks. AND the photos of you, Susie. You look more gorgeous than ever! I don't go around complimenting women or raving about their talents, unless it's truly felt and deserved. Susie and Roy - you share the same amazing genes of talent and expression. Thank you for sharing with us readers."Angie Choe: "Wow! How cool is that! That’s awesome that you and your parents know Jim Davis! I loved Garfield! He used to be stuck on the window of my silver GrandAm like 17 years ago…a stuffed version of Garfield – kept him until his fur got discolored and I had to throw him out LOL! Thanks for sharing!"________________________Read about movies and nostalgia, animal issues and sociopolitical concerns all discussed in my book Secrets of an Old Typewriter and its new follow-up Misunderstood Gargoyles and Overrated Angels - print and ebook versions of both are available (click the title to order from publisher Open Books' website). Also available in both formats at Amazon.com , or download from iTunes Meet other like-minded souls at my facebook fan page Visit my author website at www.susieduncansexton.com Join a great group of animal advocates Squawk Back: Helping animals when others can't ... Or Won't