• It’s All Croquet With Me, Or, Mallets Aforethought

    In 8th grade PE class, I was relieved to find my teacher was Joe Walker.  Coach Walker knew me because his son Duke was best friends with my brother Randy.  I had hope for leniency and was planning to throw myself on the mercy of the court, so to speak. Lee Buxton, my 7th grade …

    January 31, 2021
  • Rite of Passage

    Most weekends began promptly after school on Friday when Mom, Dad, Randy and I would pile into our enormous-by-modern-standards, tastefully tan Pontiac Catalina.  Dad would point the land yacht northeast and we would leave behind lesser metropolitan Little Rock.  Along the 90 minute drive, we passed through several towns no larger than a four-way intersection, …

    January 31, 2021
  • Sole Man

    During sophomore year of high school, when first period band ended each day, I scurried as fast as I could to Mr. Jeff Weatherly’s geometry class.  I always finished my previous night’s homework at the beginning of class.   I started it there, too, so there really was no time to waste. A few extra …

    January 31, 2021
  • First Date

         After 14 years of chastity, I was soon to have my first date.  I had confessed to my good friend Susan that I was in love with her good friend, Lynnette.  Susan confessed that she loved my good friend Terry.  By an odd coincidence, Susan and Terry and Lynnette and I went on a …

    January 31, 2021
  • A Parade That Will Live in Infamy

    On December 7, 1975, the McClellan High band marched in the Little Rock Christmas parade. Our band director, Mr. Washburn, had informed us that the parade would be televised. He insisted we look smart, watch our lines, and not break rank if confronted with horse manure in our paths. Our misgivings about this decree were …

    January 31, 2021
  • Field of (Bad) Dreams

         I had spent second and third grade living in a neighborhood with no kids to play with, and no parks to play in.  As a result, I grew heavily dependent on comic books and television to entertain me.  I also “grew heavily” in the most literal way.  I metamorphosed from an active, skinny kid …

    January 31, 2021