I was born dead. My mom and dad couldn't naturally conceive; luckily they were in a place where genetic research was being conducted so they took her part and his part put them together and crossed their fingers. Two weeks before mom was to transfer to a facility that could handle the delivery and a month before I was projected to be born she could tell something was wrong; so they cut her open and found the umbilical cord wrapped around my throat twice.
    Mom was middleborn of five in the hills of Ohio. She was the smartest and graduated at sixteen to help support the family by working at the local diner. Later she joined the Women of the Air Corps and was stationed in New York where she met dad.
    Dad was the oldest of seven from the hills of Kentucky and at fifteen had both his parents come down to the recruiter and vouch that he was old enough to join the Air Force when it was still the Army. He toured the Korean War and Europe before meeting mom in New York and they were transfered to England.
    My dad's dad Papaw was the eldest and dropped out of school in the third grade to work in the coalmines to support the family. I guess you could say my dad was pretty smart because he saw what was in store for him if he stayed in them hills. He got out learned some skills saw the world.
    So now when anyone asks what I'm doing I say:
    Just hangin' around swingin' in the breeze.