Ever year the freshmen always ask, "Why do they call you Disco Don?" I really cannot answer. The nickname came from the Class of 2006. The name just caught on. Of course there were several other nicknames that each class came up with, but as each graduating class left, those nicknames eventually died off. However, Disco Don has stuck.

The big question everyone always ask, "Where are you from?" I actually was born in Ripley. The hospital was located just down the street from what is now Fred's Pharmacy. The old hospital is still there. My understanding is some parts of the building is still used. My first elevator ride was in that hospital.

I graduated from RHS. When I attended RHS, we had a student population of about 1,300 students. Today, I believe the student population is around 800. Students respected their teachers. Students knew better than to show out in class. If we did act up, we were given detention which required us to stay after school. If you were really bad, you were sent to the office for a paddling. They always said Mr. Douglas could really swing a paddle. Sometimes the teacher would use the paddle in the classroom. Teachers were highly respected within the community. If we had ISS or alternative school, I do not remember it.

My first "real" job was working at Wal-Mart. Just before my 16th birthday, I was hired at Wallyworld. I worked as a stockman before moving to the sales floor. I started out in the automotive and sporting goods. I always wanted to work in electronics, but it never happened. I did have the opportunity to fill in for the department manager. Eventually, the store manager promoted me to cashier (at the time the department managers and cashiers were paid the same rate) and I took it. Working at Wal-Mart was not the best experience, but it did give me vital experience. Actually, I still have nightmares of returning to Wallyworld.

Everyone was moving to Houston during the big boom of the early 80s. I was all set to move to Houston when my aunt offered me the chance of a life time to stay with her family in Chicago. I was one of the few, from my graduating class, who said, "I'm getting out of this town once I graduate."

It took about a month before landing a job at Sears Headquarters (then located in the Sears Tower). It was the best job, outside of teaching, that I have ever had. I had a lot of growing up to do during those years. Sears Headquarters laid off about 3,000 people in the mid 80s. Unfortunately, I was one of the first to be laid off. I thought, I can find another job and make more money. By this time, the economy was the pits under Ronald Reagan, and it was not easy to find work. Every place I interviewed for, I was competing with old Sears employees. Eventually, I landed a job working at a video store before moving on to be an assistant manager at White Hen. It was not much money, but it was enough to live on. This would be the last retail job for a long time.

I picked up a job working for Triton College. The college had really good benefits, but the pay was still far less than Sears. It took some years to eventually catch up with my old salary from Sears. I did really enjoy working at Sears. Working at Sears was a like being in a really big family. Unfortunately, I have never had that "family" experience again. Anyway, while at the college, I worked in the adult education programs, audio visual, police department, admissions, and financial aid.

I did further my education after moving to Chicago. It was very difficult working full time while attending college. I had that typical mindset of a high school student before realizing the importance of earning good grades. If I could go back and do a "do over," I would have applied myself better to getting a better grade. I did earn a business degree from Titon College. After taking a small break, I transferred to Governors State University to earn a liberal arts degree with a concentration in Latin American Studies. Some years later, I started to attend the Univeristy of Tennessee at Martin to earn my teacher's license.

After spending some years in Chicago with the harsh winters, I decided to move to Miami Beach, aka South Beach. It was not what i thought it would be. Miami Beach is very expensive. It really bothered me to see young kids ages 13 to 20 living on the streets to the very old. I saw homeless people in Chicago, but never to amount of homeless in Miami Beach. Perhaps it is due to the warm winters?

It was about two months after relocating to Miami Beach that my great aunt, Rachell, was being placed in a nursing home. She had rented a small house that my grandparents purchase for her to live in. My grandma called one day and offered to sell the house to me. Eventually, I took the house and moved back home. After about a year, I moved in with my grandma. After a while, I started to work at RHS as a substitute teacher. The staff and students encouraged me to return to school to obtain my teacher's license. I have always wanted to be a teacher, but became sidetracted early in college. I thought.. I had missed my calling. At the time, the idea of going back to school did not appeal to me. Eventually, I did return. It was during this time period that everything began to fall into place and it was the first time that I felt fullfilled.

Kate and I were going to get married. Kate had a lot of health problems and she dreamed of having a child. I wanted a child, but felt it was not in her best interest due to her health. Kate's desire to have a child, eventually led us to go out seperate ways. Kate did eventually have a child, but she did not live to see him grow up. It really took a toll on her. Its a chapter that I really do not like to revisit...

What is the next chapter?