Chapter 1: Bahamas, 1981
I was awakened Sunday morning from the mast lanyards on the anchored blow boats, clanging, singing, and whistling in the stiff breeze between North and South Bimini. Sitting on the second-floor balcony, my first cup of coffee was warming my hands. Watching the sun peek over the horizon was always a favorite part of my day in the Islands. The morning’s fresh innocence ensured that everything would be alright as I captured that early morning hour, hoping to keep that peaceful solitude in my pocket throughout the day.
Chapter 2: The Belle Meade Unicorn
Before I tell you how I wound up in the great abyss, let me share my background, so it makes sense. I was born June 14, 1937, in Nashville, Tennessee. I grew up in a privileged Belle Meade environment, playing golf and tennis at Belle Meade Club. The neighborhood was developed from that property before voters incorporated it as the City of Belle Meade in 1938.
Chapter 15: Time Changes Nothing
It’s remarkable how my mind became immune to the events of that period of my life, considering the time, money, airplanes, and boats involved. My life was in a state of flux, with no deadlines or schedule to meet. At a moment’s notice, I’d fly to the islands, scuba diving, or to the Rocky Mountains skiing as if I were going to the grocery store. Percy Warner Park was a quick half-mile ride from home on my bicycle, where I would greet the early morning. Negotiating that twelve-mile loop of steep hills and riding by places familiar since my childhood would soothe my mind and coax my soul from its tangled mess. Either way, the idea of turning to a life of crime to eliminate an unmanageable debt seemed increasingly like the only option. Not fully realizing it, I had already mentally committed to this method of eliminating my debt.