[JuancoRocks]

This will probably sound like a Victor Hugo or James Joyce story...But as Bill Murray said..."That's the facts, Jack!"

My parents divorced and I was put in an orphanage at the age of 5 or so...Was there a while and met the reign of the original Sister Mary Discipline ...Goddamn ruler hurts on the knuckles.....more on the ass.....Read every book in the school library....then went to two foster homes working on farms in the Appalachian Mountains...More of a hired hand than any part of a family...Milked cows...slaughtered pigs....killed lots of snakes.... chased chickens, ducks and geese.... Rode horses (still bow legged)(But, I could ride any horse)....Was somewhat incorrigible....got in trouble with the law....Minor stuff...But as a result was shipped out to Father Flanagan's Boys Home at Boys Town, Nebraska at the tender age of 12.

Graduated High School at the age of 17... Was still considered a minor and therefore a ward of the court....had enough of discipline and structure and took off on my own with no money and no plan. Dodging the authorities....Till I turned 18...

Went to Ohio State for a while....(met my wife there)...Then had to decide, school....Or I could eat regular.....but not both.....Dropped out of school.....immediately drafted..spent a year in Viet-Nam...grew up a lot...aged even more....

Came home with an attitude and a lot of pent up anger....Got into some fights....Got many jobs....Did income taxes....sold window film and solar heaters....Real estate....water softeners...air freight...Dining Guides....lots of crap...

Then two things happened...my son was born and I got a job with the best Fire Department in the US.....(Phoenix of course)

That was over 30 years ago and I am still here...same house for 37 years...same wife for 39 years.....

So, I guess it's true..Life is what you make it.

When I hear Tony Bennett sing "Rags To Riches", I figure it must be for me.....