Category: B ) make me cry

Keep the tissues handy.

Kmart – Gone but not forgotten

I experienced a first yesterday.  I had to park in the back of the parking lot in order to get into our local Kmart. Although I am not a what I would call a regular shopper, Kmart has been my retail store of choice over some of the other alternatives in the area.  It’s easy … Continue reading Kmart – Gone but not forgotten

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Success and who it costs

I love a good success story. I have been reading about a businessman recently.  I’ll call him Mark. Mark is a hard worker.  He started his business in 2006 with one store and today has over a thousand stores in 21 states. His bio indicates that he is a family man, a triathlete, hunts for … Continue reading Success and who it costs

A little more blues than just Highway 40’s

My wife periodically recounts to me the first time she ever saw Dolly Parton in person.  A young gal from rural Mississippi, she stood in front of Shoney’s on the Parkway in Pigeon Forge for a Dollywood opening day parade.  Her 3-year-old daughter twirled at her feet in her new “’Lil Dolly” lacy dress and … Continue reading A little more blues than just Highway 40’s

A father and a son*

A couple years ago, my wife and children and I visited a large Knoxville church for a beloved nephew’s solo.  He sang wonderfully, and we all met him up front afterwards and congratulated him on his accomplishment. I slowly became aware of an unfamiliar woman hovering behind us and repeatedly making eye contact with me.  … Continue reading A father and a son*

We are the song of the mountains

The fire. Is there really anything else to write or even think about? Like many of you, I watched and listened with horror as the events unfolded. I felt relief when the rain came, sorrow as the reports poured in reflecting loss of life and property, and gratitude for our firefighters, emergency personnel, and so … Continue reading We are the song of the mountains

My first snowfall*

Well, this past Saturday, Halloween, I was traipsing through the Kodak Food City in search of candy for all the little ghouls and goblins that would soon be parading across my front porch.  As I searched in earnest for the discounted candy, which I never found by the way, I couldn’t help but be a … Continue reading My first snowfall*

Rocky Economy = Rocky Top

As I was growing up, my parents chased the economy. In the city of my birth, Tampa, Florida, my Pop was one of the best crane operators in the business. He was a legacy, following in his father's footsteps. If you have ridden the monorail at Disney World, you have experienced some of his handi-work. … Continue reading Rocky Economy = Rocky Top

SuperDave, wise master of the Four Horsemen

One of my dearest friends on earth is a man named David Montgomery or, more affectionately, SuperDave. He received this title at UT when a group of five friends on our dormitory hallway decided we should all have nicknames.  Given that our group had two David's, one might have expected controversy over who would get … Continue reading SuperDave, wise master of the Four Horsemen

The Four Amigas

Changing schools is hard on a shy kid. Out of necessity, my parents moved several times when I was a kid, and it always meant I had to go through the agonizing process of making new friends. Though I survived and even managed to fulfill the parental prophesy that I would make new friends, one … Continue reading The Four Amigas

Yes, Sevier County, There is a Santa Claus*

I am a middle-aged man, college educated, pretty darn savvy - if I say so myself - and... I believe in Santa Claus. I have to. I’ve met him. Newly divorced and struggling to make ends meet, I faced the most challenging Christmas ever in my mid 30’s.  The outlook for gifts under the tree … Continue reading Yes, Sevier County, There is a Santa Claus*