The readers of the first edition were all friends and/or relatives. These people have personal knowledge of the characteristics and personal foibles of the author. Many of them said, in effect, "I really enjoyed the book. I’m not sure if it was that good or if I just enjoyed picturing you in those situations." Therefore, the following short biography is supplied:

I was born (1947) at a very early age (not original but I’ve always liked it) in Beaumont Texas. At that time my mother worked in a drugstore and my father was a taxi driver. I had/have three older sisters Dixie (10 yrs older), Dorene/Francis (9 years older), and Linda (3 years older). I have been told that we lived in Beaumont for a few years but shortly moved to the country about 5 miles south of Buna, Texas.

Soon thereafter, my father was injured in an automobile accident. While he was recovering, my mother moved to San Antonio to work at Kelly Air Force Base - my father soon followed. My sisters and I moved to the next farm up the road and lived with my Grandfather, Grandmother and Greatgrandmother.

Initially, we had no electricity, no running water, no gas stove, etc. My first jobs were to trim the wicks in the oil lamps, gather chicken eggs, chop kindling wood, and pull "bitterweeds". My sisters I assume were likewise gainfully employed. My Grandfather was a farmer at first (I have memories of taking him water in a gourd canteen and trying to hold up the plow while "Nellie" pulled it.) but began to have problems with his legs and got a job as a janitor at the local school - Buna High School. At that time I think there was only one building so it was probably called Buna School. I visited him once or twice and remember the kids taking my cap away from me and playing keep away with it.

I lived in San Antonio while attending the 1^st through the 6^th grades. Spending every summer in Buna. For the 7^th through the 12^th grades I attended school in Buna and spent the summers in San Antonio - except for the summer before my Senior year. That summer I had a job as Assistant Manager of The Buna Cue Club. There were only two of us working there - so I must have been at least the Assistant Manager.

Started college as an EE at the University of Texas in Austin. Quiet a change from Buna. (My senior class had less than 70) While at UT I programmed my first fomputer - an IBM 1620 in FORTRAN IV. After one semester it became clear that I didn't have the study habits necessary to go to UT. I moved to San Antonio and lived with my mother while attending San Antonio Junior College. I majored in Business Data Processing. When it was time to graduate I had a choice -Military service (Viet Nam was still hot-n-heavy) or continue college. At that time only West Texas State in Abilene (Or Alpine?) and Texas A&M had 4-year programs in Computers. I entered the Army. Basic Training at Ft Leonard Wood Missouri (Hand to hand combat in the snow), then to my first duty station in Arlington Va. I later served in Thailand as well as Ft Meade Maryland.

After being released from the Army a cousin and I made a wandering road-trip through New England, into Canada, over the Great Lakes, through the Midwest, and back to Texas.

I graduated from the University of Houston in 1974. I had been a member of their co-operative education program and was hired by NASA.