I was born in Superior, Wisconsin in 1946 to a 17-year-old mother, just barely married. My mother quickly got pregnant again and before my father even knew about the new baby, he ran off and joined a traveling carnival!
No, really!
So my life has been full of off-beat escapades, confrontations with bullies, adolescent awakinings; not to mention guardianship by three fathers. This memoir by a skinny kid named Chester covers my life from birth to graduating from the 8th grade.
The memoir tells my story of living with grandparents, Paul and Minnie, aunt Pauline and uncle Paul (they were twins) in a two bedroom, one bath, gambrel-roofed house in Superior, Wisconsin, near the lake. (think COLD)
My wife, Jan, and I have lived in many places, but currently, we live in Missoula, Montana on a tree-lined street. Fly-fishing is what brought us to Montana. We lived in a teepee the first summer in 1986 on our vacant land on Rock Creek. Talk about an adventure in Montana's backcountry! (But that's another story!)
"Dressed in her blinding white suit, she strode from the lake, her summer tan glistening in the fading light. I found I couldn't breathe."
"Breaths were held. Time Stopped. Uncle Elmer burst forth from the dark waters like an impeccably dressed muskie. Water streamed from his chin and spewed into the evening air as he yelled, "Son of a bitch!"
"My life was suddenly perfect. Even Lynn got the Dale Evans cowgirl look in her eye when she saw Charlie. What a summer this was going to be. Then we got to know Charlie a little better. Every blessing has its curse, you know."
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