10/12/26 On a warm summer morning in 1981 I was a Maryland State Trooper assigned to road patrol duties in the Mt. Airy area of Carroll County. I responded to an “animal complaint” call in a residential neighborhood. Ordinarily, a call of this nature involves a barking dog, a dog roaming “off-leash” or sometimes, a swarming nest of bees. But this call was different. When I arrived I contacted the resident who called the police. She quickly led me to her backyard where I came “face to face” with a rabid raccoon. It was puffed up to the size of a medium-sized dog, its eyes were yellow and was foaming at the mouth. As I was directed to dispose of the animal, another trooper arrived to assist. Both he and I were armed with .357 Magnum six-shot revolvers. He (the other troooper, “Bill”) fired first, both shots directly striking the animal. It appeared to be more irritated than being shot. So, the raccoon slowly turned around and began to chase him around the yard. I could do nothing but laugh at what I was watching. Bill was running wildly throughout the yard, at the same time shouting “You shoot him, you shoot him.” I approached the raccoon from the rear and shot it two times, both shots entering the animal’s body. And the same thing happened, only this time, it began to chase me. Then Bill shot the animal four more times, causing it to, again, turn around and take chase of him. Now Bill is pleading with me to shoot the animal again as he had to reload his weapon. I did so. Both Bill and I each reloaded our weapons twice and continued to shoot this creature who simply refused to die. Finally, the rabid raccoon stopped moving – it was dead. Bill and I were quite relieved as we each fired eighteen bullets into the animal and were both out of ammunition. The neighbors seemed to enjoy watching Bill and me being chased throughout their neighbor’s yard. Some brought out lawn chairs so they could sit and watch our futile attempt to kill the crazed, sick animal. Some may have even put a little money action on the trooper who would fire the fatal shot. Both Bill and I are now retired from the Maryland State Police and that incident took place more than twenty-five years ago. But whenever we see each other at MSP functions, this is the first thing we talk and laugh about.
9/15/25 I graduated from Littlestown High School in 1965. I packed up my warm weather clothing and headed to Michigan as a college freshman. I played college football and baseball and was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. I graduated in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in German, with an English minor along with some sort of certification specializing in Latin. I was a college graduate and I had the piece of paper to prove it, but I didn’t have a job. I was visiting my parents in Littlestown when my dear mother suggested I contact the Carroll County School System to maybe, just maybe find a job as a school teacher. I balked at her suggestion but she said “it won’t hurt to try.” I called and spoke with the director of personnel, a fine gentleman. He told me there were a few teaching positions available and then he asked about my degree. I told him I had a degree in German. Upon hearing this, he screamed “What did you say”? I told him I had a degree in German and he broke into a loud, continuous, maniacal uproar of laughter. He continued laughing for at least five minutes and he finally stopped and apologized for his behavior. He told me that the entire Carroll County School System had but one German teacher, that being at South Carroll High School in Sykesville. Then he said, “He resigned this morning, do you want a job”! I quickly responded “Yes, I do”! He later stated that South Carroll was considering a beginning program in Latin but they had yet to find an instructor. I told him of my college accreditation in Latin, he laughed and asked me how soon could I be at his office. So, it worked out for me. I was a high school teacher, thanks Mom!
9/8/25 On Tuesday, September 11, 2001 I was on vacation visiting one of our daughters in San Antonio, Texas. While we were having our breakfast, another of our daughters called, telling us to turn on our television. We, like millions of other horrified Americans watched the screen as the second plane flew into the second tower. Our eyes were fixed in disbelief as we couldn’t believe what we were seeing. I said to my daughter, almost right away, that she would be getting another telephone call, and at that moment, it rang and the call was for me.
5/4/24 Do you remember where you were and what you were doing on November 22, 1963 and what about September 11, 2001? Surely these two days will be ingrained into our minds forever. But where were you, what were you doing on May 4, 1970? It was a Monday, a little past twelve-thirty. I was teaching a German class at South Carroll High School, in Sykesville, Carroll County. The news hit the TV and radio stations – – – – calling the event “The Kent State Massacre.” Four Kent State University students were killed and nine others were wounded when members of the Ohio National Guard opened fire during a student rally opposing our involvement in the Vietnam War, the National Guard’s presence on their campus and the military draft. Neil Young of the folk-rock singing group, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young wrote a protest song in reaction to the Kent State shootings. You can hear the song this Saturday on Nick Brady’s Brady Brunch, only on Cool Oldies 1450THU and WTHURADIO.COM
This week on the Brady Brunch, Jaunary 27, I would like to focus on the top hits of the year, 1962. There was not one single song that was the top song according to the Billboard charts. Actually, there were three songs, all of which held the top spot for five weeks each and two of the songs were performed by the same artist