In my continuing effort to downsize, usually thwarted by better things to do or by sentiment, I came across a picture that I am pretty sure was taken in the summer of 1974. It was of “my gang” (most of them at least) from my high school years. We were Christiansburg High Class of 1971,…
Author: wahoo2727
I’m a practicing lawyer and wanna be humorist. I grew up in Christiansburg, Va and have lived most of my adult life in Clarksburg, WV. Most of my writings are what I like to call observational humor. I also love sports, particularly the Boston Red Sox and UVA. I bleed Wahoo Orange and Blue.
Imogene, My Mom, and January 1953
This past week was my birthday, another trip around the sun in trendy parlance. A good time to reflect, or at least put down on paper, some random thoughts that pop into my mind regarding my many trips in that orbit. While I was giving my approach to the subject some thought, I remembered an…
Christiansburg of the 1960’s (or, No Walmart and No Lowes, but Lots of Nice Folks)
I entered first grade in the fall of 1959, attending the old school on Junkin Street (directly across the street from my grandmother’s house) and graduated from the beautiful old school on the hill – Christiansburg High – in 1971. A quick check of Wikipedia shows that in the 1950 census, Christiansburg had 1,970 residents,…
Christmas Music (Nat King Cole and Bing, but no Little Drummer Boy)
Every self-respecting (or aspiring in my case) columnist needs to write a piece about Christmas music at some point. I believe I have touched on the subject before, but this one is full bore, an all-out tribute, or assault, depending on the song and the artist and the circumstance. First, there are a few basic…
Bowl Game Memories (or, Of Roses, Peaches and a Tangerine Too)
I am a frustrated sports writer. My first ambition was to become the next Dan Jenkins, an iconic Sports Illustrated writer who covered college football and professional golf for SI for a quarter century. Dan also wrote about a dozen raunchy and irreverent sports novels, the best known of which is Semi-Tough, published while I…
My Law Partner Bob (Citizen, Marathoner, Mountain Climber)
November 29, 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of Bob Steptoe’s arrival at Steptoe & Johnson. Actually, there is a little controversy surrounding the date. In checking firm records, Bob’s official start is listed as November 29, 1971. But in discussing this matter with him, Bob disclosed that his actual first day of work was 2…
Mutt Byrd (Atomic Bomb, Cantaloupe Life-savers and Caring)
The Christiansburg of my youth was full of good people and interesting characters who left me with great memories, a good perspective on life, and great subjects to write about. I challenge anyone out there who could have outdone my hometown for nice folks who helped their kids grow up right. One of Christiansburg’s true…
Quarantining with Scarlett
I am writing this column during quarantine because of Covid. Yes, I became a member of the way too large club of those who have caught the virus. Like some long ago comedian said, Groucho Marx I think, I would never want to join any club that would have me as a member. Well I…
Leon, gone but not forgotten
Panel 48W – Line 9. If you go to the Wall – the Vietnam Memorial in D.C. – that is where you will find “Leon David Willard”. Born in Christiansburg, Virginia, on April 13, 1948, killed in action on August 13, 1968 in Long An Province, South Vietnam. You can find the details at the wall-usa.com. In…
Captain K and the Cobblestone Defense League
A couple of weeks ago I encountered one of those moments that every homeowner has at some point, unless maybe your house sits on a 6 acre lot in a cloistered community. I stepped out on my back deck to go to my garage to head to work. And what do I see? Approximately 20…
Bud-Hoo 