CJ Woods III’s Story Archive

A Day In The Life

April 2, 2020 | by CJ Woods III

I read the news today, oh boy… – The Beatles My granddaughter’s big jogging pram resisted my attempts to bring it into strolling form, but I prevailed against my daughter’s folding and nestling away of the pram’s parts. Wednesday, March 25th was going to be a bright and sunny day, … Read More

Don’t Mash My Grandson

March 26, 2020 | by CJ Woods III

“Dad, you’re gonna have to teach your grandson to drive,” said Lisa, my eldest child. “I know he’s going to drive like you, anyway: hunched over the wheel, hands at 10 and 2, looking right, left, right, right, left, right again and left again before creeping into the intersection.” I … Read More

Hand Jive

March 19, 2020 | by CJ Woods III

This column originally appeared in 2013. C.J. is on vacation with limited WiFi. “You must be a doctor, the way you goin’ after those hands,” a man said to me in the men’s room. The only comfort I could take in his observation is that he was waiting to get … Read More

Echo Chamber

March 12, 2020 | by CJ Woods III

noun: an environment in which a person encounters only beliefs or opinions that coincide with their own, so that their existing views are reinforced, and alternative ideas are not considered. My social media feed contains posts from some people who express views that are repugnant to me, and those posts … Read More

Bittersweet Home Alabama

March 5, 2020 | by CJ Woods III

This past December 2019, I spent Christmastime with my eldest daughter, my son-in-love and their two gifts to me, 15-year-old grandson, Xavion, and 11-year-old granddaughter, Imani. As I worked to find some common conversational ground with the two of them — one of whom spent a large amount of time … Read More