The author, born July 15, 1931,  in Framingham, Massachusetts, lived several years as a child in Worcester and was schooled his first two years in St. Anthony School. Then moving back to Framingham, he was enrolled in St. Stephen School through the Ninth Grade when he became Class President, and also, received the American Legion School Award of Distinguished Achievement. Graduating he received a scholarship to Sacred Heart High in Newton.         After high school his next four years were spent in Maryknoll, the Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America where he received his BA in Philosophy which colors all his works and thinking. Though he has a happy and silly off-the-wall side, many of his pieces are metaphysical, deeply introspective and carry into the afterlife.            Years later while working in the Framingham Fire Department, he went to night school at Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester where he received his Associate Degree in Fire Science with Highest Honors.         Writing, especially descriptive, letters, and hard-hitting papers, was something at which he excelled and these were challenges he always enjoyed. While in the Fire Department where he eventually rose to the rank of Deputy Fire Chief, he became heavily involved with the Firefighters Union and originated and was the Editor of the Union Post, the firefighters‘ newsletter.           Being basically a shy person, in 1972 he joined Mensa, an organization of persons with higher intelligence quotients and this gave him the badly needed self-confidence to stand up to any person in any situation. He held many positions through his career with the department: Secretary of the Union, Chief Bargaining Agent for the Union, Spokesman for the five Town employee groups, and the All Unions Representative to the town Special Committee on Collective Bargaining all of which demanded a great deal of writing of information, contract and research papers.           His doggedness to learn everything possible so as to do the best possible work and attain the best possible results, led him into being elected a Town Meeting Member and an appointment as a member of the Standing Committee on Personnel. His hard work and knowledgeable efforts won him an appointment to the Town Finance Committee, FinCom, the only working town employee ever to hold this position. As a member of FinCom, he was appointed Subcommittee Chairman of all the Town Social Service groups and Departments.         Retiring from the Fire Department after thirty-one years of service, he joined the Framingham Artists‘ Guild, became an accomplished artist, served as President for nine and one half years and was Editor of the Guild‘s newsletter for some twelve years. Also, he became a vice-President of the Framingham, Massachusetts Sister Cities group FLAME (Framingham Lomonosov Association for Mutual Exchange) paired with Lomonosov, Russia. He is the Resident Artist and Editor of FLAME‘s biennial newsletter. Through contact via FLAME, and as President of the Guild at the time, he chaired an Art Cultural Exchange project between the Guild and the Lomonosov, Russian artist group, Kolorit. As Trip Master and artist, he with other artists, exhibited art works in the Japanese Pavilion of Prince Menchikov‘s Palace, a favorite of Peter the Great, in Lomonosov, Russia in 1996.          Presently he is enjoying time with his wife, his children, and grandchildren, and he is continuing his writing and fine art work.

BA Philosophy; Associate Degree Fire Science, Highest Honors; President Framingham Artist's Guild-9 1/2 years.Chairman & Tripmaster, Art Cultural Exchange program with Lomonosov, Russia.