Willie was a constant prescence in my house when I was growing up in Pleasant Hill. He painted houses with my stepfather and was good friends with both my parents. I remember him wearing shorts and flip flops all the time. I remember him pacing back and forth with a phone up to his ear, always so passionate and hyped up about everything he was thinking and/or talking about. My sister and I still laugh today about the time Willie was sitting in one of our dining room chairs and for some odd reason the whole chair suddenly crumbled beneath him and he landed on the floor with a loud, "Mother@$!&er!" We thought it was the funniest thing! He always made us laugh and I remember being excited when he'd come over. Later on in my teen years he'd talk about my love of writing and told me I was very smart and I could do whatever I wanted. Some things happened in my life and I wouldn't see Willie again until 2006 when I was 30 years old. He came into the dental lab I worked at for an appointment. We had a very pleasant exchange and he looked and acted exactly the same as I remembered. Good old Willie....so smart and witty! I was shocked and saddened to learn of his passing at such a young age.

Willie loved to laugh. And he loved words used intelligently for good purpose. Any good purpose. So this one's for you, Willie.

The Washington Post's Mensa Invitational asks readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and then supply a new definition.

Here are this year's winners.

1. Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.

2. Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.

3. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.

4. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period.

5. Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.

6. Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.

7. Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

8. Hipatitis: Terminal coolness.

9. Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)

10. Karmageddon: It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's, like, a serious bummer.

11. Decafalon (n.): The gruelling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.

12. Glibido: All talk and no action.

13. Dopeler effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

14. Arachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.

15. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.

16. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating.

And The #1 Pick (Willie would especially love this one, which we dedicate to Dubya):

17. Ignoranus: A person who's both stupid and an asshole.

I remember Willie from the Treadway and Parkland days in the late 70's, early 80's. He would come over, hang out, sing, play and party with the crowd of us. He was a charming, boisterous, and passionate man. I did not know him well, but I remember the girls were crazy about him - he was such a cutie pie. And the guys loved his engaging personality. Later, I learned about the depth of his character as he was such a good friend to my dear friend, Liz. Sad to see the passing of one of us.