Keeping up with the Robison's

“Oh honey, the cops are at the Robison’s again.”
“Geez, is it that freak son of theirs? What’s he done now?”
“Christ, who knows? Oh geez, the bomb squad just pulled up.”

Sound familiar? Only if you live in South Hadley and just happen to live next door to John Elder Robison’s son, Jack Robison. John, the brother of famed memorist Augusten Burroughs, and himself a memorist (“Look Me In The Eye”), recently had a crappy weekend. You wouldn’t know it though by his recent posting on his blog:

I bought my first house in 1979, to celebrate the end of the KISS Dynasty tour, and my getting a real job. I lived in that house for over 16 years through several changes of career, acquisition of a wife, creation of a kid, and all manner of ups and downs.

When I got divorced and moved, I left many things behind, thinking I’d go back and get them one day. My ex-wife remained in the house; she’s still there now. Time passed and “one day” never came for all the other stuff I left behind. This weekend, thanks to Cubby, it arrived. I found myself unexpectedly cleaning up the basement and I found these gems from my past.
jerobison.blogspot.com

The “Cubby” he refers to is his son, Jack. The back story to John’s post is this from the Daily Hampshire Gazette (2/19/08):

Jack Robison impressed experts with his knowledge of chemistry and his love of science, officials said. They would have been even more impressed, however, if they hadn't been called to the 17-year-old's 23 Dartmouth St. home to investigate why loads of hazardous chemicals purchased on the Internet were being stockpiled.
'He's a very intelligent kid,' Fire District 1 Chief Bill Judd said Monday. 'He just needs to apply his goodness to other things.'

Last Friday, a small army of state and local emergency officials converged on the quiet residential neighborhood in search of vats of hazardous mixed chemicals stockpiled by Robison.

Authorities with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit responded to the home.
After a busy weekend of investigation that included some house evacuations, the neighborhood is returning to normal.

Judd, the first chief, said he understands Robison is involved with Boy Scouts and had dropped out of high school because he was bored. Robison attends Holyoke Community College, he said. 'I think what he did was wrong,' Judd said. 'But I do think he learned his lesson.'

Board of Health officials on Saturday ordered the home condemned. Judd said the order, posted on the door of the home of anthropologist Mary Robison and her son Jack, stated the dwelling was not habitable because of hazards to health and safety.
The order was made because the house had no heat or hot water - which had to be shut off during the investigation, Judd said. Clutter was also a factor. The family is now back in the home on the condition that they clean up the clutter and that no more chemicals are stored.'The neighborhood is back to normal now,' said Judd. Officials said the student will not be charged by local police with any offenses. Selectmen did not return calls for comment Monday, nor did members of the Robison family.

I love this family. I can't get enough of them.

R. I. P Leonard J. "Bunky" Collamore, Creator of "As Schools Match Wits"

Leonard J. "Bunky" Collamore has died at age 76. He was born in Holyoke on March 18, 1931.

He became chief of staff to Mayor Charles V. Ryan from 1961-67 in his first administration. Collamore, a lifelong Democrat, also served on the Springfield City Council for 12 years and was president and acting mayor in 1970 and served 18 years as a Hampden County commissioner and numerous years as chairman.

Leonard also wrote a book in 1978 called "The Quiz Game." He was a founding professor at Springfield Technical Community College for over 30 years teaching European history and Western civilization. He retired from S.T.C.C. with the title of professor emeritus and then served many years as an adjunct professor.

Leonard was the president of S.T.C.C. from 1981-83. He was the founding member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Peach Basket Festival Tip-Off Classic and was the creator, producer and judge of the award-winning high school quiz show "As Schools Match Wits" on Channel 22, which was the longest-running quiz show program in the history of television. Leonard was also the head writer for the show for over 25 years. He was known as a history expert on Christopher Columbus discoveries around the world.

Excerpted from the Hampshire Gazette, February 4, 2008.

Anyone with the nickname, "Bunky," is cool with me.