My father and I share the same birthday, today, April 21st. And in some respect, we both share it with Bonaventure Cemetery's founding in 1846. This is my first birthday without my father in 53 years as he passed away on November 5th, 2022. I left home when I was 18 for Savannah, GA, but told myself even then, that I had a deep seeded desire and mission to interview my father about his life. That took another 35 years, but when the family noticed his voice growing less robust and his mind slipping here and there, I knew the clock was shortening and aimed to bring my microphone to Illinois for our shared birthdays in 2022, and I believe on Thanksgiving prior but all in all, there were 2 lengthy recordings and 1 more "family" gathering. Dad gave it his best shot even if reluctant but was a real trooper, doing it for me really, and I'm grateful. He tired fairly easily but I lovingly pushed here and there to get a little more clarity and detail. Dad was now 80 and we had no idea what a fight he'd be in for when diagnosed with ALS, and then the end came rather quickly even if I'm convinced Dad was a man who did things with a plan and didn't plan on becoming a medical experiment. All the same, I lost my father, the man who lovingly adopted me along with my mother over half a century earlier. Hard to believe. This excerpt is a birthday gift to me, my mom, my brother Jay, and of course, my father, James "Jim" Ernest Scott. More from him to come.