I began playing music on college radio in 1955 and spun records at two Plattsburgh stations from 1961 through part of 1997.

When I left radio, my collection of records was left behind, literally and figuratively.

A short time later, I gave away thousands of cassette tapes and 8-tracks in an effort to cleanse my mind.

It didn't work very well. My nightly dreams contain radio memories to this day.

When I try to neaten up the River Room, more records show up. Kaye tries to be good-natured, but sometimes the fuse burns rather short.

NOOKS, CRANNIES

While we were at camp, my friend Don Cassidy called. He and his wife have musical tastes running almost parallel to those of Kaye and me. He used to bring me special songs for holiday play at the radio station. Among them were "Mother McRae" and "Mein Yiddishe Mama" (My Jewish Mama).

Don wanted to give me his entire music collection. Picture Kaye's reaction as she threw up her hands and said, "But where will we put all of it?"

"Nooks and crannies," I answered with a smile, as I carried armload after armload from Don's basement to the car. To say the collection is substantial would be a gross understatement. I'm in a music lover's heaven.

As soon as we got home, I brought a case of cassettes in and popped a Doris Day cassette set into the kitchen player while starting this column. After that, it was another tape of Jim Reeves hits -- our all-time favorite. Talk about mood setters.

When music is your obsession, you can't stop listening. I tried to abandon popular music of all kinds for a couple of years after leaving radio, opting for classical offerings. Eventually, I found the center mark once again and began weaving those great popular songs back into my psyche. It was as if they whispered, "We're back."

We have racks and racks of music CDs in the River Room, and Kaye says we won't live long enough to listen to all of them. Oh, ye of little faith! I'm willing to try.

That new turntable of mine will get a workout in coming months and years, as I attempt to transfer the records to my computer and thence to more CDs.

It might serve to keep me out of mischief. Maybe not.

Kaye wants me to make sure and include here that we don't want or need any more music. I'll agree -- for the time being.