Born in the southern U.S., CL knew from an early age that he did not fit in. His world was so much bigger than the small town in North Carolina where he was raised. He graduated high school on a Friday and boarded a plane to Army basic training that Sunday morning. And, he has never looked back.

CL served 10 years in the U.S. Army as an engineer and as a linguist with Military Intelligence. He traveled the Western Hemisphere. He survived drowning, broken bones, and more cuts, bruises and contusions than he can count.

He somehow ended up in California, where he met his irrepressible Wife, Mona. They’ve been together for more than 25 years, now, and they could not be happier.