As I write this, it’s the fourth weekend in January, and to
be honest with you, it has been far from typical in Tennessee. For the most
part, the winter season has been abnormally warm. And, I’m not complaining.
Snow is fine, but ice is another story, so I’m glad that getting around isn’t a
problem.
But, we did have a snow on January 6 that was quite
beautiful. Unless you were trying to break Richard Petty or Dale Earnhardt’s
records, getting around Centerville or Dickson wasn’t that bad at all after the
salt trucks went through. As I drove to Dickson for a haircut that day, I
thought of some of the winter weather I had encountered over the years. And, I
took a trip back in time to 1997 or 1998.
The year isn’t that important. But, one of my greatest winter
weather memories took place during one of those years. I was Program Director
at WDKN at that time, and a huge snowfall was about to hit Dickson. I stayed in
town late that afternoon, likely to shoot the breeze with Ken Loggains, who was
working midday at the station then. Or maybe, we were both there shooting the
breeze with Cory Williams, because he figures prominently in this memory as
well. As the 6:30 sign off time loomed, the roads were getting pretty slick,
and College Street was pretty much covered.
Somehow, one of us got involved in a phone conversation with
Jackie Rhodes, the station manager or her husband, Gordon, who was the
Operations Manager / Engineer / Kit Kat Eater / Ancient Arkansas Philosopher of
the station. To be honest, Gordon also served as the goodwill ambassador of the
station. Something got said about the idea of Cory and I go home. Cory lived in
Bon Aqua, and I in Burns at the time. Truth be told, we both probably could
have made it home…..but the Rhodes’ invited the three of us over to spend the
night.
I don’t really have a lot of memories about winter weather,
as I grew up with just me and my parents. So, there really wasn’t anyone to
hang out with as child. For whatever reason, this night was special. The three
of gathered in Gordon’s “Hog Cave,” (a nod to his Razorbacks) and watched TV….and
cracked jokes. Me, being the whimsical master of smart-aleck, started comparing
the night to one in the winter time of the Ponderosa, with the three of us
representing the Cartwrights – Cory as Little Joe, Ken as Adam, and myself as
Hoss. I then looked at Gordon and quipped, “I guess that makes you our Pa.”
Always quick with a comeback, he said something to the effect of “I Sure Ain’t
Your (blank) Hop Sing,” referring to the cook at the Ponderosa spread. It was a
night of fun for all, highlighted by (I’m sure) some colorful inside jokes.
Gordon Rhodes has never been at a loss for words, and I can only surmise that
night was no exception. Whether one could use them on the air or not, well,
that’s another story.
There were a lot of fun memories during my eighteen years at
106 East College, but that night where Dickson shut down was pretty special….right
up there with my traffic report from Vanleer in the 1994 ice storm, cussing out
a listener who I thought was Gordon, my first kiss, the time(s) that Cory
Williams rigged my office door – well, actually it was a closet door….and
rendering “Kristy with a K” speechless with the quickest one-liner I have ever
delivered. (Again, that’s not for public reveal).
Because of the way things ended, I have tried to pretend away
those eighteen years. But, I am very blessed to have those memories. In a lot
of ways, WDKN pre-2009 was kind of like the 4077th unit of M*A*S*H. No,
we weren’t doctors, but there were a lot of funny things that happened There
were musicians, sales people, disc jockeys, and even a five-year old kid from
the car lot next door who was quite the mastermind. Those were good times. We’ve
talked about having a reunion one night at the Catfish Kitchen or Montgomery
Bell…..We need to do that. Hop Sing Rhodes isn’t as young as he used to be –
and neither am I!
