My oldest childhood friend is David Carter Christian, or “Chris” as he is still known by his sister Dale and me. Our moms worked together at the AAA of Maryland Insurance Agency, and we were eventually down the street neighbors. We lived at 302 Thackery Avenue in Catonsville and the Christians lived at 308. Chris is six months older than me and so I guess I don’t remember a day in my early life when Chris wasn’t there. When I was a toddler, my dad built a play enclosure in o

(republishing an oldie but goodie) The saying in our family is “Reverse is not Dad’s best gear.” To that I must plead guilty. I have backed cars into brick walls, posts protecting brick walls, trash cans, and my favorite, other cars. Of all my performances, my least favorite was backing my car filled with well-dressed family and friends into my daughter’s car that was innocently sitting in our driveway. ‘Twas Christmas Eve, on the way to church. I will never live that one dow

The Incomparable Sweet Emma Barrett in her prime, complete with jingle bells on her garters. I learned my love for jazz at the knee of my first cousin Erik.   He was a clarinetist and played a little sax in his high school and college days and along with his buddies preferred traditional music to the mainstream sounds of the 50’s and 60’s.   We would sit in his bedroom in Catonsville and listen to Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden, and Pete Fountain records by the hour. We probab

Mirror self-portrait. It's my left ear if you care. When the good Lord put me together On that fateful day in June, He had parts that were left over. He'd delivered me too soon.   A beautiful voice and bright blue eyes Were the options he included, With extra chins and bony shins And a head that became denuded.   A face designed for radio, Rounded shoulders and big ears All came to define not quite divine As I travelled through the years.   Oh what to do to become unique? And