Dedication

This book is dedicated to my parents, Giuseppe and Antoinette Petrucci, who worked harder than anyone I know to put four kids through college. They gave us strong roots and books along with a clear understanding about the importance of education.

And I can't forget these people as well:

The real Big John

The real Vincent

The real Fabrizio

And the real deal, Gennaro Gambardella, Jr.

Luigi and Immacolata Petrucci

Constantine and Irene DeNora

Vincenzo Petrucci

Ralph and Mary Petrucci

Tony Petrucci

Kenneth J. Moscovics, Jr.

Ryan T. Caulfield

Kelley I. Camp

George Charboneau

Todd Francis Caden

Rose Gambardella

The real BP, Robert A. Paduano II

Santiago Suarez

I hope and pray that there is reading in Heaven as well.

Acknowledgements:

My most heartfelt thanks to:

Mrs. Deborah L. Blair, the principal who hired me to teach elementary school children and taught me about the true power of the read aloud.

Arthur J. Sapienza, Vincent DiMartino, Al Kozeroski, Tom Hunt, Robert Cuozzo, Pasquale "Babe" Amendola, and Albert Siclari - teachers who always made me a huge part of their classrooms.

My private editors, first there is Kim Tarpinian, who probably reads and talks faster than anyone in America.

Teri Etheridge, who showed me the difference between past and present.

And my main man and long time friend, Robert Ehalt, a sports writer who truly tells it like it is.

Paul Wilgenkamp, for all the times he brought me lunch, listened to me complain about everything and never once tried to poison me.

Lana Gluck, Sandra Boulton, Nancy Geikie and Lori Hornik - teachers who believed in me.

The students of my fifth grade class at Fort Lane Elementary School, who taught me how to teach.

Brendan T. Gott, who once said after I wrote a short story, "Wow. That sounds like somebody really wrote that."

To all the students that survived 180 days in Mr. Petrucci's classroom. I thank you for every encouraging word, suggestion, comment and editorial revision all of you gave to me.

Mike Altman, and the rest of my special friends at iUniverse. You should have hung up on me the first time I called.

Aunt Mary and Uncle Ed, for all the times you remembered my birthday and made me feel special.

Nicola "Uncle Nick" Petrucci, for buying me my first baseball glove, for taking time out of your busy days to play catch with me, for cutting my hair when I had it, and for being my friend when I needed it most.

Ann Marie Moscovics, the real AM, my best friend who for more than twenty six years never forgot me. I thank her because no matter how busy her life was, she listened, listened, listened and listened again, with love. If it wasn't for her encouragement and support, this book would still be wasting away in a rickety old computer.