Outskirts Press, INC.

PART II: A MEMOIR OF A COUNTRY BOY FROM NORTH CAROLINA

Born in rural Eastern North Carolina of parents near poverty, Chris begins his story in his memoir, Moment in Time, of his “early years” and the love he and his mama shared so deeply. Chris continues his story into adolescence dreaming of escaping his rural world defined by cornfields, vegetable gardens and his mama’s religion, a world that was warm, secure and safe, yet confining, confusing and suffocating. During these young years, he confronts his dad’s addiction to prescription drugs and his perceived need to take on the heavy responsibility as head of the family. Adding to the uncertainty and confusion already surrounding him, he was startled to realize he was attracted to men, a state he intuitively knew would not please his mama’s God and one he would wrestle with for five lonely years. As a young man in college, he hungrily reached out to experience all he had missed in earlier years having come from a fundamental religious home that denied him so much of life, as he saw it. Chris met his first life partner and experienced his first love. This relationship provided him the escape from his hometown, an escape that allowed him to hide his “secret” life from family. Poor as they were, their love was unfaltering and they made their way together for twelve years. Not able to settle major differences, Chris and his partner separated in what turned out to be a most unsettling emotional journey. Losing his first life partner in separation, his Grandma, Daddy, Brother, and Mama in death, Chris’ view of the loss of love, and death saddened him. The sadness these losses brought to him, coupled with his obsession to live forever, led him to tell his journey of happiness, love, laughter, grief and sorrow in A Moment in Time.

Chapters XVI and XVII - A sequel to A Moment in Time, is a continuation of Chris’ life experiences of happiness, love, laughter, grief and great sorrow and love again.