This is the story of my early years.As I look back on my life, I realize that it has been a rather interesting one. Therefore, I thought I would tell my story. There are a couple of caveats I need to add here at the beginning. One, these are my memories and, as such, may not be entirely reliable. As with most people, I have a tendency to remember some things and forget others. I, also, don't necessarily remember it the way it really was, but the way, well, I remember it. I have asked some of those "who were there" to read over what I have written to confirm my memories, but, of course, they also remember what they remember. So, there is no way of really knowing exactly what happened in each case. I have done the best I can. Regardless of the missing details these are stories and they made for an interesting life.Two, in some cases I am retelling stories I was told. Again, these depend on my memories but also on the story teller's memories. It reminds me of the ice breaking game that was played at a lot of youth events when I was younger called "telephone". The group (the larger the better) was asked to retell the next person what the previous person had told them. One person thought up a phrase or saying and would tell the person next to them. They in turn would tell the next, and so forth. When the final person was told they would announce to the group the message they had received. Then the first person, who had been asked to write down their message, would read what they had said. Usually, there was no resemblance at all to what had finally made it around the room. I trust that the stories which I have heard and am now retelling do not suffer the same fate, but you never know. Again, I have tried to research the details as best I can to make sure the story, I am telling, lines up with the historical information available referencing the moment around my story.Enjoy the stories. Know that they may or may not have happened exactly as portrayed but nevertheless are interesting and for the most part entertaining.
