Richard Mason

When I think of tennis, one name usually pops up, and folks my age in south Arkansas will recognize it immediately: It's Myron Schofner. As I have gotten older, I retired from singles tennis, but I am still active, and I credit my health and stamina to my obsession with tennis. This is my tennis story.

When I think of tennis one name usually pops up. Folks my age in south Arkansas will recognize it immediately: Myron Schoffner.

Well, I've resisted writing about the price of crude oil as long as I can. So, here is another of my two cents' worth -- and that may be overpricing the column. OK?

I've resisted writing about the price of crude oil as long as I can.

Yes, it's almost "hold your breath time" again as the Ledge prepares some 1,200-plus bills to drop in the hopper for next year's legislative session. However, in that raft of mostly worthless bills, there are some that deserve to be passed. These bills would improve our quality of life and make us more civilized. Of course, that is the underlying reason for a legislative bill. It should improve our quality of life.

It's almost hold-your-breath-time again as the Arkansas Legislature prepares some 1,200 bills to drop in the hopper for next year's legislative session. In that raft of mostly worthless bills there are some that deserve to be passed that would improve our quality of life.

Sept. 25, 2001: We flew into New York City on an American Airlines flight from Little Rock. I felt better about my flight when I noticed an iron bar secured the cockpit door from the inside. American Airlines had added that protection to all of its aircraft. We landed at Newark International, a New Jersey airport very convenient to metropolitan New York City. Our cab ride crossed into Manhattan at the lower end of the island, which gave us a clear view of ground zero. The gap in the skyline, with the debris still smoldering, caused me to shiver.

As I sat my desk recently, considering my next column, my eyes fixed on one of several photographs hanging on the wall. It's of me as president of the Arkansas Wildlife Federation, giving a plaque to Gov. Bill Clinton.

Richard Mason wrote this column (edited here for length) in the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, when 19 terrorists hijacked four airliners, then flew one into each of the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center in New York City; the third plane crashed into the Pentagon, in Arlington County, Va. The fourth plane crashed in a rural Pennsylvania field during a passenger revolt.

I can remember when I was 8 or 9 years old and my grandmother gave me several letters with very old stamps. I was immediately hooked on stamp collecting; in a short time I filled every page in an album.