So, I was sitting in an excruciatingly long meeting in one of the anonymous squat towers on Rt. 7 when I got a text from Heather on my smart phone that I am too stupid to operate to full capacity. This one was fairly straightforward: “Join Old Jim and me for a drink?” Of course, […]

So, I drove over to the corner of Utah Street and Fairfax Drive in Ballston on a special mission- an epilogue, if you will. And even if you won’t. The destination was the place formerly known as Willow. The doors were open, and there were no lights on. Boxes filed with things to be moved […]

I will get to an account of the momentous events of yesterday, presently, or not. I have to get it in gear to drive back to the scene of the crime and pick up the two stools that Od Jim and I sat on for several years. But suffice it to say, in general order, […]

(L-R: Lovely Jamie, and John-with with Jon-without; Senior Executive Jeff and Vic on the right.) I am a little slow out of the gate this morning for a variety of reasons. Some of them are perfectly reasonable. Others not so much. I am free to say that no one crashed any cars and to the […]

Here are some pictorial vignettes from Willow last night. I don’t have the words to describe it all, and that (as you are painfully aware) is unusual. Between seeing my son again after two years, hearing of the imminent passing of an old pal, and the closing of a great place, I am really emotional. […]

(Jasper, the best bowler on Guam, hosts a festive lager. Photo Socotra). We were at Willow, continuing the countdown and having several debates among us, none of which addressed the potential for any of us to become the eventual Nominee of the end-of-business Party. Mostly they were about where the hell we are going to […]

(RADM Richard B. Schiff, USN-Ret. Official US Navy picture, with thanks to Seymour “Sy” Brody and his excellent site featuring “ Jewish Generals and Admirals in America’s Military.” Rick had a close association with Naval Intelligence during the Incidents at Sea treaty and as special counsel to the Director of Naval Intelligence). I have been […]

(Heather is organizing for Willow’ last week. She placed stickies on the bottles allocated to the regulars). If you don’t like food and fellowship, loyalty and class in the face of adversity, you can keep moving. Willow had it all last night with six days to go until the Irish Wake on Saturday night. The […]

(Known attorney Liz-S returns behind the bar for one last shift on Saturday night. Heather turns in her Manager’s clothes for the bar uniform to accommodate the crush of patrons. Photo Socotra). OK- so it is Monday, and the Lieutenant jets in this afternoon after two years forward-deployed in the Far East. It is fortuitous […]

(Vic in his usual seat with the Award-Winning Smokey Saint burger, cut in half to take home part. The shirt is the official jersey of the South Australia Wombat Aussie Rules Football consortium. Photo by Martin the Bartender. Tracy said she is going to let him take his barstool with him when the place closes). […]