CJ Woods III’s Story Archive

A Good Night Out

August 11, 2022 | by CJ Woods III

My neighbor stopped by to invite me to join the neighborhood crime watch. She gave me a brief explanation of the nature of the organization, and I agreed to become a member. Shortly after her initial visit, she returned with a printed flier announcing a block party in conjunction with … Read More

Family Card Games

August 4, 2022 | by CJ Woods III

My grandson graduated from high school in June, and his sister graduated from eighth grade the following week. Xavion’s graduating class traveled to the Bahamas and his grandmother arranged to take Imani on the same trip. I went to New Jersey to see the two of them the first week … Read More

Heat Wave

July 28, 2022 | by CJ Woods III

No: It’s not about the 1963 hit song by Martha and the Vandellas. A walk about the neighborhood in the early afternoon is something that only the hardiest among us can safely undertake. It is hot outside. As I write this, the temperature in Indianapolis is 90 degrees. With the … Read More

Need For Speed

July 21, 2022 | by CJ Woods III

On a trip to the grocery store, I stopped at a light at the corner of Washington Street and Arlington Avenue. When the light turned green, I proceeded across the intersection. Behind me, I heard the full-throated roar of someone’s muscle car, the screech of tires as it banked around … Read More

Can We Talk?

July 14, 2022 | by CJ Woods III

This column first appeared in the July 17, 2009 issue. I firebombed a conversational thread between my niece and some of her “friends” on Facebook. I took offense at a comment, and weighed in with a sharp, sarco-nasty rejoinder. I immediately regretted it. I sent her a private message of … Read More