The Coal Train Has Been Derailed

Merry Christmas!

Take a gander at the new mug shot for my column above.

That's my big bro, Rob, and we are about as different as they come. He gets the Times-Region issues late and a little wrinkled.

My old copies arrive in the mail. He reads them and then calls to go over each issue.

He reads "Looking Back" and the obituaries with the eye of a detective and asks if I know this particular person and their kin going all the way back to World War II.

I really don't have time for that, but I'm patient. He will also quiz me on the features I write and give me his commentary.

We also have spirited...