Orson Wells

Way, 'way back in the day Southern Man and his other middle-school-aged friends coaxed our parents to take us to a fairly large Star Trek convention. It was wonderful geek fun in too many ways to describe. And in one room we noticed a largish, somewhat sad-looking man sitting in a chair in the corner. We wandered that way and soon found ourselves sitting at the feet of none other than Orson Wells.

He entertained us as a king might treat honored guests. We offered the microphone of a cassette tape recorder we had and he uttered his famous tagline from The Shadow radio series. Southern Man still has that tape, somewhere. He regaled us with stories and hours flew by as though they were mere moments. At that age we had no idea of the real depth of his history or influence; only that a man with a name we vaguely recognized had treated us well.

Orson Wells passed away fifteen years ago today. He will of course always be remembered. Southern Man will watch Citizen Kane tonight in his honor and will never forget the kindness shown to a pack of annoying kids.