I was once a bit of a troublemaker.

You may not know it by looking at me but I was once a bit of a troublemaker. When I was 14 or 15 I lived with my Mother and six sisters and four brothers in the Dorchester section of Boston. The school I attended was the typical middle school of the time. I didn't hate school but I was not a good student. I was a hell raiser and played hooky a lot. I would travel around town by jumping on the back of trolly cars. I don't remember the exact reason I was placed in an alternative day school but I am sure it was a combination of bad behaviors that ticked off the principal.

I loved the alternative school. It was housed in an old mansion. The teachers were kind but took no nonsense. We learned to type and studied history and other subjects. I spent one school year there before going back to my original school.

I settled in and became, if not a good student, at least an attentive one. I loved my history class, having been inspired by my history teacher at the alternative school. My history teacher, Mister Sullivan, was very kind. He said to me, "Walter, you seem to be a mild mannered person, I don't know why you are here." While I thought he was wrong about me, I loved him for saying it. This is the only teacher I remember.