Acknowledgments

First and foremost, Uncle Ed and Aunt Janet, my second set of parents.

Jody, who throughout our forty-eight years together has never mounted a serious legal challenge to the “for better or worse” clause in our vows.

Our children, Willie and Libby, both talented, smart, thoughtful, accomplished, funny, and somehow humble. When the book sounded like a crabby old geezer from the mid-1900s (which I am), they told me so.

A multitude of the dearly departed who waited decades for me to find the time to write this book but finally threw in their towels.

My brain surgeons. If this book isn’t all that you’d hoped, you can always reach them at home.

Tom Connor, my agent for nine books over nearly forty years.

Gretchen Young, my overly understanding, at times almost saintly, editor at Grand Central Publishing, her biblically patient colleague, Emily Rosman, and many others at GCP, to include Ross McDonald, who designed this, my favorite of all my book covers.

Gina Chappell, former Arrowhead waitress, who with her husband, Jim, organized a reunion of former employees and shared her tales and photos.

All other former Arrowhead colleagues who also shared, to include Pete Havely, Tim (Wheezer) Short, and another Bill, who has to run for his public office and wisely requested his full name not be used.

Dwight Weaver, Lake of the Ozarks historian.