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First Edition Design Publishing - Bryson McMillan J.

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82 pages

English

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Description

This is a book for those who enjoy the trials and tribulations of real life people and feel they can or would like to relate to those whom they are reading about. It's a memoir about only those richest, most interesting details concerning my life. It was written to convey those sometimes simple, sometimes complex, but many times emotionally charged experiences of my life.

Sujets

Philosophie et théologie

Memoir

Informations

Publié par	First Edition Design Publishing
Date de parution	03 février 2012
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781937520656
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0420€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

TO THEN AND BACK AGAIN
A Collection Of Uh-Oh’s, No-No’s, And A Few OMGs!
by
J. Bryson McMillan
A Memoir In Two Parts
PART ONE – BOOK ONE
Copyright © 2012 by J. Bryson McMillan

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

ISBN 978-1-937520-56-6
Published by First Edition Design eBook Publishing
February 2012
www.firsteditiondesignpublishing.com

Cover Design – Deborah E Gordon
First Edition Design Publishing, Inc.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise—without prior written permission of the publisher.
Table of Contents

Preface
Prologue
The Family
The House
The Town

Chapter 1- An Experiment Gone Wrong…Really Wrong
Chapter 2- Burnin’ Down The House
Chapter 3- House Hoppin’: The Family Past Time
The Little Pink House
The Niles House
The Brick House
The Old White House on First Street

Chapter 4- Marauder of Souls
Chapter 5- The Old Red Brick House
Chapter 6- What’s Revenge Got To Do With It
Chapter 7- An Unforgivable Deed
Chapter 8- First Flight of Fancy: The UFO Incident
Chapter 9- A Fragile Mind
Chapter 10- Second Flight of Fancy: The Alien Incident
Chapter 11- Independence…It Seems So Overrated
Epilogue
Preface- To Then And Back Again

My name is Jerry McMillan. I’m now in my mid-forties and have few regrets about my life. I’ve done good things, bad things, and things I wish I could just forget. However, and in all honesty, I like who I am, and those things I’ve done, tried, or didn’t try are what makes me who I am…and I’m finally comfortable with this person I call me. I must admit though, I’ve had one small desire for quite some years now, and if you are reading this, then I’ve reached my goal.
It’s been over ten years now since I began writing my story. However, my intentions have morphed over the years from wanting to tell my mother’s story, which I thought was really quite interesting, to telling my story, which I feel is equally interesting. Hopefully this book will bear the fruits of my labors and experiences well as you continue reading. I too hope, if only but for a short while, that it will allow you to walk in another’s shoes and to gaze at the world through another’s eyes, albeit eyes that are now a little weary.
When I began writing my book, I was consumed and wrote at a feverish pace for about three months. Then a peculiar thing happened. It would seem that I found another purpose for writing; a purpose other than for the gratification of telling a story. I found it to be quite therapeutic and genuinely liberating; it was as if in my writing I had thrown off the yoke of self-denial in which I had so regrettably adorned my own neck with through the years. However, the story I was going to tell then is nothing like the story I’m writing today.
My original writings were much more dark and morose, and, to a degree, sophomoric. Back then I was searching my soul for the most miserable, vile, and despicable things that had happened in my life. I wanted to cut them out like an ugly cancer and didn’t care if it was with scalpel precision or butcher knife crudeness. I just wanted the disease out so I could throw the whole mess onto paper then offer it with pride and glory to the world as the story of my worthless, self-loathing life. But in coming to accept the person I was, the person I now am, this wasn’t to be.
I believe what occurred was that I’d unintentionally freed myself from the chaos I so dearly wanted to write about, and in coming to grips with my own self I felt the writing experience had served its purpose so I put down the book. I wasn’t so interested in writing anymore it seemed. But I’ve always known I have this wonderful and sometimes unbelievable story to tell; something to say to everyone, but not preachy you know. To wit, the writing bug had bitten again, and this time I’ve paid it some serious attention.
In looking back I can see how immature a person and a writer I was, whereas today I believe I am sufficiently mature and capable of telling my story irrespective of the consequences of laying my soul bear for the entire world to see, only this time without the shame and stigma I might have felt had I done so then and in such a fashion.
In essence, I really wasn’t as sure of myself or my own intentions so long ago, but I’m now ready to start anew; I’ve picked the book back up, dusted it off, and will tell my story in all its candor; in all its wonder; and in all its distaste, but with the dignity it deserves, and without the shame and pain I had endured for so many years, so long ago.
Today, I’m not a rich man, a man of importance, or a man of fame. I’m not known for doing anything great or for doing any great thing. I suppose I’m only known to my own circle of friends and family and even then it’s only as an average Joe scientist guy whose profession involves writing about all sorts of scientific and technical matters and developing new products.
I am, however, a Joe who has an extraordinary story to tell. A story which might seem to meander in the beginning but a story that will surely elicit great emotion and wonder…and possibly even a touch of disbelief, but God willing, it will always keep you, the reader, fascinated and wanting more.
As you continue reading, it might seem that some of the stories are too fantastic or fanciful to be real, but I assure you this is not the case. These are many of my real life experiences and through it all I have, in one way or another, dealt with each in my own fashion as they came along. Maybe not always perfectly, but in the best way I knew how.
I have only written about those richest, most interesting details concerning my life…or so I would like to think. I will sometimes digress as I narrate, but only to enhance the experience I’m trying to relay. And too, there are some things that I would not write about today, and maybe never write about, but that discussion and subsequent decision is certainly left for another day.
Today however, I can only hope that I am adept enough to sufficiently move beyond my scientific milieu to illustrate and convey these sometimes simple, sometimes complex, but many times emotionally charged experiences I’ve had during my life.
Whether these emotions were elicited by the harsh realities of adversity that I, like many, have faced and overcome, or by the personal triumphs achieved through perseverance, and at times, through sheer willpower alone I can’t necessarily discern. I will however, try to express them in such a manner as to allow you the reader the chance to decide for yourself.
So let’s now embark on a journey to then and back again; an odyssey that will encompass a multitude of adventures that are at times disturbing and chaotic, and at other times fascinating and humorous. These adventures will range from overcoming desperation and loneliness as a result of a hidden identity, to the anguish of a best friend and his suicide that served absolutely no purpose nor had any meaning; a suicide that gained nothing for anyone…especially himself. From an insidious monster’s theft of a child’s innocence, to things that just happen; catching you unaware, then kicks you right square in your pearly whites.
The journey my friend will certainly run the gamut of human experiences and emotions, and I’m indeed willing to share them if you wish to take the ride. And of which I’m also certain, if I do it suitably, then they will vicariously become your adventures as well.
However, because I’ve had so many “adventures” in my life, in fact I could probably write about them the rest of my life, I’ve decided to write them into a two-part series with the first part consisting of my young childhood and teenage years, and the second part consisting of my young adult life until just after I moved on from the town I once called home.
Life is a gift to be cherished and learned from, and most certainly used up before moving on. But remember, as given in Donne’s Prose, meditation 17: “Any man's death diminishes me because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee..."
Prologue

The Family
Four brothers comprise the McMillan boys; Chris, Tom, Myself, and Albert, from oldest to youngest. We were all born in different states and about three years apart. This was because our dad was in the Air Force and was stationed all over the country, but did quite a few tours of duty overseas; Chris was born in Bangor Maine; Tom was born in Amarillo Texas; I was born in Champaign Illinois; and I think Albert was born in Enid Oklahoma…Yep, pretty sure it was Enid.
Mom, God rest her soul, always said the only time she ever got pregnant was when dad came home on leave from being overseas, which apparently was about every three years. I don’t know if this is true or not, and never particularly wanted to confirm it…it just makes for a nice little story that I will remember all my life.
Chris was born in 1956. He favors our dad in the looks department. He was as normal as a kid could be, not really excelling in anything but popularity…with the women that is, not really as a jock. He was the best looking of all of us kids. The women loved him and the men envied him; I of course, never realized this until I was older.
He played sports, but I never paid attention to sports until I was in Junior High. Chris would have been a senior in high school then, so I really don’t know if he was any good or not at sports. I suppose since we were all athletic to some degree, so was he.
He’s done pretty well for himself and his family over the years and has been married to his wife Tina for 30 years or so having two daughters, Krystal and Trisha, and two granddaughters, Christina and Erin. I believe he and his family are a happy lot, or as happy as anyone can be in this life, b