Article Archives: Words with Woods

The Jacket

February 29, 2024 | by CJ Woods III

“That jacket sure does bring back memories.” I could hear the chuckle in the man’s voice, muffled by the black medical mask he wore. We two were exiting the Kroger grocery store at 10th and Shortridge. I had just come from the nearby office of the Weekly View and decided … Read More

Revisiting Pittsburgh

February 22, 2024 | by CJ Woods III

Sitting on the passenger side of my best friend’s ride, I listened to a song on the radio. “Walking in Memphis” by Marc Cohn was playing on the station in the rented car and reminded me of my thoughts about walking in Pittsburgh, rekindled by my reading of Michael Chabon’s … Read More

Punch Line

February 15, 2024 | by CJ Woods III

A professional boxer and convicted rapist once said, in reference to an opponent in his upcoming fight, “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” He was not referring to Robert Burns’ poem, “To A Mouse,” a line from which has lived on far past its 1785 … Read More

Road Holes

February 8, 2024 | by CJ Woods III

My youngest daughter opened my front door, an action that caused her daughter to cry out, “Mommy!” Myah ran to the door and plowed into her mother; Lauren apologized for her late arrival. “I had to put air in all FOUR of mom’s tires. The potholes on Arlington can swallow … Read More

Teen Storm

February 1, 2024 | by CJ Woods III

My first granddaughter was thumping and thundering around in the background as I spoke to her mother on the phone. Imani was packing for a retreat that she was to attend that weekend but halted her preparations when she overheard her mother give me important “teen-formation” about her brother. “What! … Read More