There was a time in my life when the sky seemed blue and the clouds seemed whiter. There was a time when buildings were made of brick and mortar and human sweat and people bought milk from the farmer because he was the one with the cow. There was a time I knew when men wore suits and women wore gowns and they drank wine in grand parlors and talked about the scandalous affairs of their friends.

And there was a time when the safe walls of finery came crashing down. There was a time when the bar was almost as sticky as my fingers and the drinks almost burned my throat enough. A time when I shot scotch and bourbon and whiskey with the rest of the men and then went to bed with the coming dawn. A time when life as I knew it was not as I know it.

There was a time when I looked at the glass and saw that it was half empty and a time when I saw it half full. I have seen the horrors of war and the sorrows of survivors. I have visited kings and laid with paupers. And now I have only one thing left to do. Write it down.