Prologue

Roger Bostic had the world on a string. He had just sold the business that he had started in college. The international telecom outfit had bought his patents and his switcher manufacturing plant for fifteen million dollars and assumption of all debts. They had offered him a huge salary and more money if he would stay and run his old company, but he had had enough of the 18 hour days and the working every weekend while others were out having fun. It had cost him a bundle to walk away, but it was worth it.

He decided that the best way to celebrate was to see this great country. He would never have to work again. He sold the New York apartment that he had called home and bought a new Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck with a crew cab and headed out in the direction that had the least traffic. He wasn't worried about the destination; he was going to wear out pickups until he got tired of traveling. With no money worries and no family, he didn't have to account for his time or whereabouts. He gave his dog to his girl friend and told her goodbye. He had given her some money to buy herself a house. There was no acrimony in the ending; they had just grown in different directions. They both knew that the relationship was over, they just didn't know how to end it right. Neither wanted to hurt the other.

He had invested most of the money in real estate in upper New York State and hired a property management outfit to run his properties. He had set aside little over two million dollars to allow him to indulge his whims. He knew that he wanted to do something good for people with some of his money, he just didn't know what yet.

He wanted to see this great country and meet every one of the people in it. He enjoyed meeting people. Every person was unique and had a story to tell. He resolved to keep a journal of his travels and had purchased a good camera to take pictures of his travels and the people he met along the way. This story is from that journal.