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Edited by TeNderLoin

Chapter 1

I was asked to write the story of my life for the great Centauri library of the home world. It seems that I have become someone that others want to know about. I find it hard to believe, myself. However, after I reviewed all the stories written about me, I found that my 4th lifetime was lacking completely in written detail. So I decided for the sake of my children that I would insure my story was recorded. Not that I will not be able to tell them myself you understand. But there are so many grandchildren and great grandchildren, that it may be simpler for the ones that care to know to be able to read about it themselves.

I was born James O'Neal Flowsman on July 4th 1922 AD. (That's Earth's [Sol III] standard calendar). My parent's names were Edith and Walter Flowsman. They were good people; let me tell you that, straight up. Despite the Great Depression, my father was able to continue to work as a deputy sheriff in Omaha Nebraska. He was also able to instill in me a strong since of doing the right things in life. Because of his job, we were able to buy a large farm north of town, late in the 1920s. I don't remember the exact date, but I think it was the fall of 1928. Dad continued to work as a deputy, long after the farm was able to more than support our family.

One of the biggest things my parents impressed upon me, was the need for an education. Now I wasn't the best of students, at least when it came to English. Math and the sciences were another story, however. My dad could never understand why the best grade I ever got in English was a 'C', but he never complained about my math. I spent my first five years of school in a one-room schoolhouse, with a real taskmaster. Mr. Donaldson was a strong disciplinarian. Fortunately for me, I didn't get hit with that ruler too many times. One of the advantages of having him as a teacher, however, was that he didn't believe in holding anyone back in an area of study. By the time I was in his 5th grade class, I was doing collage level calculus, and geometry. He even gave me some physics. I loved numbers. When I was introduced to algebra, I took to it like the proverbial 'fish takes to water'.

My sixth grade was a disappointment. Mr. Donaldson moved to the Greater Omaha School District, to become headmaster of what they called a High School. The woman that replaced him was named Ann Gable. She was fresh out of teaching school. I swore she was only 17. She was also way behind me in math skills. The only thing she was good at was English. She felt sorry for me. I spent one extra evening a week after school with her tutoring me in English. It helped out a lot, as my grade in that subject went up to a 'B'.

It was in her second year, when I was in the 7th grade, when the blizzard hit. It started just after school let out, and I was staying late for my tutoring lesson. By the time my lesson was done, and I went to leave, it was obvious that I was not going to be going anywhere. You couldn't even see the steps outside the front door, the snow was so thick.

Now Ann actually lived in the back section of the schoolhouse. There was a small room with a bed, a bathroom with a 'slipper tub', and a kitchen area. There was a small wood-burning stove in the kitchen. A larger wood-burning furnace was in the schoolroom, itself. Since it was plain that I could go nowhere, we settled for fixing something to eat. Ann set about cooking a chicken in a pot of water. She mixed some flour with some eggs and a bit of baking powder. She asked me to peel four spuds, and I'll tell you they were large spuds. She rolled the dough out, very thin, on the table. She got out a gadget that cut the dough into long, and very narrow strips. She sprinkled lots of flour on them, and set the noodles aside. She then had me cut the spuds in small wedges, and she put them into a pot of water. It was put on the stove next to the now boiling chicken.

We talked as we waited for the food to cook. The subject of college came up. She explained that she had gotten her teaching certificate from the university in Lincoln, Nebraska. She explained to me that college would be the best place for me to go, if I wanted to learn more about numbers. She even talked of hearing about a new 'Theory of Relativity', but couldn't remember what it was. Actually, e=mc something or other, was all she could offer me. Talk about piquing my interest in something! I would spend many days trying to figure that out. I only had part of the answer. But it was a puzzle that just begged to be solved, and I loved to solve number problems.

Soon it was time to mash the potatoes. She had de-boned the chicken and put the noodles in to boil. Shortly we had a nice meal, and we talked some more. Ann was overly friendly and I enjoyed talking with her. When it got dark outside, it looked like I was going to end up spending the night. Now sleeping on the floor was not an issue for me. The problem was the lack of bedding for me to do so. I was shocked when Ann decided that I would just have to sleep in the bed with her. She had announced her decision in a matter of fact tone that left no room for argument. Like a 13 year old is going to argue about having a nice soft warm bed to sleep in? The truth be known, I had a little bit of a crush on Ann. I was not going to do or say anything that would blow an opportunity like this. Not that I had any delusions; but just maybe, I could get my arm around her, and hold her as we slept.

Now as I said, I was 13 years old at this point in my life. Ann had stoked up the fire in the stove, and put two large pots on, which were full of water. She said that it was her bath night. When the water was boiling, she had me carry the pots into the bathroom, one at a time, and pour them into the tub. Then I was asked to refill them and put them back on the stove. She excused herself, and went to bathe. I thought she just didn't get the door closed; when the door swung all the way open. She called out that I should bring the rest of the water in, when it was hot.

The water got hot, and I announced that it was ready. Ann told me to bring it in the bathroom. I carried the first one in, and almost dropped it. She was in the tub and she was completely nude. The vision of her reclined in that slipper tub is burned into my memory to this very day. How could it not be, she was the first nude woman I ever saw in my life. Well... Mom didn't count; and that was only a glimpse, anyway.

Ann looked at me and said, "What? Haven't you ever seen a naked woman bathing before?"

I stammered something, and turned, leaving the room. To my shock she followed me and took my hand, pulling me back in the bathroom. I just stood in front of her, and all I could do was stare at her breasts. They were so wonderful looking. Ann just took matters in her own hands. She started to remove my clothing. She told me to relax. She said I needed to be clean, if I was going to share her bed tonight.

After adding both pots of hot water to the tub, Ann guided me into it. She then washed my body completely clean, she even paid a lot of attention to my penis. She turned the whole experience into a pleasant anatomy lesson. She encouraged me to touch all her body parts, and name them with their proper names, and then a few slang names as well. I found that I was enjoying myself in short order. Soon the water had chilled despite adding both large pots I'd brought in from the stove. We exited the tub area, and dried each other off. She then led me to her bed.

Now, I didn't normally sleep naked. However, when she climbed in naked, I decided to follow her and do likewise.

My anatomy lesson continued under the covers. She explained how babies were made. She also explained that it took many attempts to get it right. This was soon followed with a 'hands on' demonstration. Somehow, I didn't think it was normal for the woman to be on top. I mean, I did live on a farm, and that's not how the animals did it. My lesson continued for over two hours. Not only did I come more than once. It was more like 4 times before we slept in total exhaustion.

That morning, I was up at dawn... Well, it looked like dawn to me. It turned out that the storm was still raging outside. Ann awoke. She called to me to return to bed, after I filled the stove with more wood. I did just that. My anatomy lessons continued. God, did they continue! The storm lasted 3 days, and so did I... barely.

Ann was insatiable in her lust. I was introduced to oral sex, though I must admit I didn't like the taste. Maybe if it weren't mixed with my sperm, it would have been better. In case you are wondering: no, I do not like caviar, either. Ann promised me that I would get a chance to taste just her, sometime, before we 'did it'. Well, her aroma was something else. I think I was in love with her. No that is not right, I was in lust. Lust was something that I found myself doing with her again, shortly.

The snow had stopped just after nightfall on the third day. We were sore, tired and the place reeked of sex. That was the last night I was ever able to spend with her. My father showed up in a horse drawn sleigh at dawn, looking for me. When he came into the schoolhouse, I was dressing in winter wear. He got a strange look on his face. He never said anything to me. We wished Ann good by, and soon I was safely home. Mom was so relieved to have me there. To tell the truth, I needed the break, before I went back to school, and to Ann.

School did not start back up on the Monday after the storm. In fact, it didn't start back up for a week. When I showed up for classes, I was shocked to have a new teacher: Mr. Lowland. Where was Ann? Mr. Lowland told us that Ann had had to leave to care for her sick mother, and that she would not be returning to teach here.

Now, I was a bright lad. And I was really good with numbers. Two plus two, normally equals four, and all that. My mind drifted back to the last time I was with Ann. Then I remembered my dad's face in the schoolhouse. Damn! He was a deputy sheriff for the county. I did learn later via the gossip mill, that Ann had left in order to avoid a scandal. Somehow I just knew I was the scandal they were talking about.

Mr. Lowland was a good teacher, though he was not heavy on discipline. He was, however, a mathematical expert. He had me doing things he said that only collage professors normally taught. Physics was just natural for me. By the end of the year, he recommended to my parents that I should attend the university, in Lincoln, Nebraska. He sent a letter to one of the professors there. As long as I was willing to work part time for a Professor Limerick, I was being offered a full scholarship, with room and board.

What can I say? My parents believed in education. I was soon taken to the city, and put on a train to Lincoln. Amazingly, it was just over an hour's ride by train. It would have taken a whole day in one of the newfangled cars. Why would anyone want one of those noisy, smelly things, anyway? I was met at the station by Professor Limerick's maid. She said that he was currently in a faculty meeting, at the college. However, he was expected to be home in a few hours. I asked if she knew what I was going to be doing for him. All I got was a smile, and a wink.

The professor showed up at noon in time for lunch. His maid Lois made a wonderful beef soup, and stacked beef sandwiches for lunch. We talked over lunch and when I ask what my job was going to be. He laughed.

"Oh, Joseph, it so much like you to leave the lad in the dark."

He then explained that I was to be grading assistant for the mathematics classes. I was shocked, to say the least. I mean a fourteen-year-old grading the papers of graduate students? Come on! This kind of thing only could happen in a Jules Vern novel. Or maybe an H.G. Wells novel. I found out the two of them had conspired to have me take the basic classes first, and that my job would give me the mathematical credits. Well, I was overwhelmed, to say the least.

Now except for the females in the teaching and nursing programs at the college, it was mostly young men. I was the youngest of course. I had a full class load in addition to grading papers for the professor 4 nights out of the week. It wasn't bad, though. He even gave me a quarter a week spending money for my work. However, being the youngest also had some other problems around the campus. Mainly, young men with superior attitudes, and a willingness to put people down. I don't think it was directed solely at me. But when I was around, guess what. Most were not much of a problem. I was a farm boy after all, and hard work was in my blood. Many of them just made quips and jibes to make themselves feel superior. The jocks were another story all together. There was no way this farm boy was going to take on a football player. Physical education was not much of a problem for me. I even managed to set the school's long jump record at fifteen feet seven inches. I also got corralled into tutoring the players in math. At least I earned some respect from the team for that.

There was one player however that just didn't get it. He tried and tried as hard as he could but the concept of a + b = c was just out of his grasp. The coach was even after me about keeping him around. For some reason, a running back was considered a very valuable player. I was meeting Joe after practice one day, and arrived early. I watched the mock combat taking place on the field in amazement. I listened to the coaches calling out play numbers for the players. Each time before the center hiked the ball, a quarterback would call numbers to the team. When I saw the chalkboard on the field filled with X's for our side, and O's for the other; inspiration hit me.

Joe came over and found me sitting on the sidelines after practice. He said he would be ready in 15 minutes. I had to hand it to him. He was trying to get the math.

I said, "No! Just stay here. I have an idea."

Then I called the team to us. Most had had some tutoring from me, and they came over. Now I may not understand football, but I did understand math. When I explained that I wanted to teach them the mathematics of football. Well, that even got the coaches' attention. I was surprised at how quickly all of them caught on to prime numbers when they had to figurer out the ball was going to be hiked on the 4th prime number. The coach was even impressed when X — O became S as in sack-the-quarterback. When they finally grasped the concept of substitution of letters for numbers, by having the coach change out players for each play; well, let's just say the team's grades went up by two letters grades over all. Joe even managed a B, and stayed on the team. I also found that I was invited to frat parties. Let me tell you that experiencing drinking at this level, was a new one on me. I had never had beer, before. After the third such party, I would never touch alcohol again. Dad had always had whisky around. I had tasted it, but it was one of those things that you didn't want to over do. Beer? Well, that was just too easy to 'over do'.

I somehow managed to get 'C' in English. Other than that I got nothing but 'A's. Professor Limerick never complained about it as my dad did. I found out why when I got my BS at 17 years of age. It seems the professor suffered from the same shortcoming. Spelling was not his forte, either.

Oh, my parents were so proud of me when they came to graduation. You would have thought I had discovered rocket fuel or something. When Professor Limerick informed me that I needed to go to California to get my Master's and PHD in mathematics, you would have thought the world had come to an end for my mother. My father was very proud, however. After a brief visit at home, I was off to USC in no time flat. Professor Limerick had arranged a similar job for me with a Doctor Carole Johnson. She turned out to be a sixty-two year old slave driver. I worked six nights a week grading papers for her. I think she even gave quizzes three times a week, just to make sure I had plenty to do. My eighteenth birthday was spent explaining the theory of relativity to three hundred students who were taking a summer class.