Hi Paul,

I am going to share a little of my life with you.

In 1952 I was a young man in the U.S. armed forces. I had just finished basic training, and had been stationed at a post about 800 miles from home.

I went into the local city ocassionally, and on a few visits, stopped at a barber shop where a 12 year old boy had set up shop shining shoes. I had my shoes shined on a few visits, and we began to talk after a couple of these visits. I usually tipped him for the fine job he had done. (and because I liked him!) One evening, after my shoe shine, he mentioned that he was thirsty, and could sure use a soda. Well, in the part of the country I come from when you say "soda", you're talking about an ice cream soda. It was close to closing time, and I offered to take him for a "soda". He had no idea I was talking about an ice cream soda, and I had no idea he was thinking of a bottle of "pop", as we called it in we called in my "neck of the woods". Naturally he was overwhelmed when he got an ice cream soda, and I became his "friend for life". He was a very handsome young man, and apparently somewhat street wise, because after the soda, I offered to take him home. He agreed, but I noticed that the house where we stopped was not his, as I caught a glimpe of him racing across the back yards to another house.

One evening a few weeks later, I stopped in to get a shoe shine, and he asked me if I would take him home again after work, so I said I would, and I did. Not long after that I was summoned to the provost marshal on post and told that someone had seen me with the boy, and was asked what my interest in him was. I explained that I was far from home, and my interest was purely for friendship and that I liked the boy very much.

Soon afterward, I stopped in again for a shine, and the boy informed me that his mother wanted to meet me. I took him home that evening, and went to the door with him. (Noting that it was a different house than he had previously led me to believe, although I didn't mention it to him!)

After I stepped inside and had been "properly introduced", we talked briefly and I sooned learned that it was his mother who had turned me in to the provost marshal, being concerned (and rightfully so) with her son's welfare. I also found that the reason he wanted me to take him home the previous time, was because an unsavory looking character had been lurking around outside the barber shop, and had made improper advances to him on occassion and he was afraid. (The man was later arrested and convicted of child molestation in another town.) After meeting his mother, she and I became very close. I enjoyed a very close relationship with the boy, taking him to movies, sporting events and sometimes just for a ride in the car; usually alone, but often with one or more of his buddies.

His mother and I eventually married. (She had been divorced from the boy's father.) We enjoyed fifteen years together before she developed cancer and passed away. She had many nephews with whom I became close, and we enjoyed camping and fishing and many other activities; but not without adverse consequences. One of her nieces had five children, and on one occassion I had taken them for a ride so that she and her niece could discuss one of her (the niece) many domestic problems. Her husband (not the children's father) later accused me of molesting some of the children, (the boys) and cast suspicion on me for a long time afterward. For quite some time I was not allowed to take the children anywhere by myself. I was finally exonerated, however, when it was found that the husband (the object of the domestic conflict) had exagerated my actions as a way of getting back at my wife for "interfering" in his marriage. (As it turned out, he had been molesting my niece's eleven year old daughter; but that's another story.)

In summary,Paul, I just wanted you to know that you are not alone! Many of us have been falsely accused because of our love and fondness for boys. My wife and I spent many years going to church together. We had our problems, as any couple do, but we also had many happy hours, and I still miss her greatly. Her son is now in business for himself, and is a self-made millionaire. Although he is now in another city about 60 miles away, we still communicate regularly and visit frequently. I still love him very much.

I have a verse that might be of help an encouragement to you:

"And I will bring the blind by a way they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known; I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them." Isaiah 42:16

love, :‹)
Andy