I recall distinctly the very first time I visited Ramsey’s Barber shop in downtown Sevierville. Newly moved to Sevier County, I was soon to be a freshman at Sevier County High School, and with classes just a few days away, Pop dragged me downtown to get my hair cut at one of the many options … Continue reading Remembering the barber shop, talks with Mr. Ramsey

Since hitting double digits, I have rarely been extremely excited about celebrating my own birthday. The fact that my 48th just passed did not help improve that outlook, pushing my reflections into the realm of confronting my rapid approach to 50 years of age. I mean 50!  That is a half a century.  I’m just … Continue reading Getting old stinks, but it beats the alternative.

I may not be smarter than a 5th grader, but I can darned sure pull one over on a 10-month-old. To my immense displeasure, it seems my grandson keeps helping himself to my prized remote controls, one for the television and a second one for Amazon fire TV.  He much prefers the Amazon Fire remote’s … Continue reading Learning 21st century grandparenting techniques

I may have robbed a homeless person.  It isn’t quite as bad as that sounds, but I feel horrible about it nonetheless. You see, I work in an area of Knoxville where it is not uncommon for us to encounter homeless persons.  As a non-profit organization, we go where the property values give us the … Continue reading The curious case of the abandoned cooler

Those of us Sevier Countians who live on “the other side of the river” know all too well the plight we share, a menacing presence reminiscent of the Star Wars evil empire.  A heartless, uncaring force mercilessly imposing its will on the innocent citizens of our beloved Kodak. For starters, zoned in a separate State … Continue reading Something’s Shady in Kodak…

In the high school of the ‘80s, masters of the quick and deadly retort reigned supreme, and I liked to fancy I held my own with the sharpest wits among them.  It just took one class working with tools and sharp objects, however, for me to learn that I was not the sharpest tool in … Continue reading Shop Class Helped me earn my mettle*

So there we were. Standing in the proverbial arena like gladiators of old.  The soft click of the reinforced plexiglass door behind us served as a solid reminder that our fates were sealed and we would only emerge from our confinement after glorious victory or ignominious defeat. Barely out of high school, we quickly sized … Continue reading The fleeting joy of athletic prowess*

I had always planned to have three children.  I was one of three and thought it pretty cool to have an older sister and a baby brother so it seemed natural to me to plan the same for my family.  We stuck to that strategy, and my first wife and I had three adorable children. … Continue reading The Special Olympian

As far as parents go, I had a pretty good set.  Always the provider, Pop made certain we had what we needed so Mom could stay home and take care of us kids.  That had been the plan from day one for them.  My mom worked until she became pregnant with my older sister, then … Continue reading The Graf Zeppelin