Captain Happy Gull

An author by challenge, this work is one of the results of my seventh grade class asking me to partake in an assignment that I had given them. From that day, I have continued to write stories that appeal to my interest in character and voice. It is a boost any time I hear one of my former students say that I was interesting or creative or challenging. The stories I write are just the first step for any reader to get a sense of whimsy in the way the world works, along with their minds. I taught for 41 years, after a checkered career of my own as a student. I owe a great debt of thanks to many people who waited for me to catch up to the way they thought I could be. Not just teachers, God bless all of you. Many construction foremen, a wife, a father-in-law, a football coach, my parents, and all of my students, all of these showed tremendous patience. They encouraged me and celebrated in the quiet way that kept me going. I will seek to search for voices that allow us to see the best in ourselves and others. Never let the facts get in the way of a good story.