A chronological autobiography from a man who is still mystified as to why in later life he has written his story, a long and winding road. Tom's main career as a high school social studies teacher took place over 34 years in six countries with the Department of Defense Overseas Schools (DoDDS) and in two US states. He and his wife, Sue, also a DoDDs teacher, had many authentic overseas experiences. Their son, Howard, was born in Tokyo. Writing began after his teaching career ended in 2000 when he began as a volunteer editor of a quarterly newsletter in Petoskey, Michigan that led to a full sized biography of his high school football coach and finally to the Lad. While serious about serious things and told in a conversational style with abundant humor, it is also quite opinionated on a wide variety of topics and inevitably includes quite a few history lessons. Maybe it will inspire other ordinary men to take the measure of themselves and share their story with others.