Memoirs of a River Rat

Dr. John L. Forbes, an eighty-six year old senior citizen, lived in a shanty boat on a river bank as a prospective river rat during his childhood. It was the first home of their own his family had during the Great Depression. John defines a river rat as follows: A male river rat is a self-centered man of small means who lives in a dilapidated shelter on a river bank, bathes infrequently, shaves even less, fishes and hunts incessantly, and enjoys life to the fullest. A male river rat is not concerned about helping others. Global problems are beyond his perception, comprehension and care. He is oblivious to the need for protecting our freedoms, while iving the freest life of us all. As a river rat, John should have grown up to be a commercial fisherman along the Illinois River north of Peoria. Or, he might have become a bartender in one of the taverns along the river from Mossville to Chillicothe. He could even have become a factory worker at dozens of places in, and around, Peoria. Because of our free society here in the United States, none of these things happened. As the Great Depression eased, John and his father eventually built a new house to replace their shanty boat. Then, John went to war right after graduating from high school. He returned home to a grateful nation and a G. I. Bill that took him to college and, eventually, through a Doctor's degree program. After achieving the Doctorate, he devoted his life to a professional career in college administration and college teaching. This book tells John's life story-a story that looks back over fifty-four years, and explains how one, very typical, World War II veteran rose to contribute his gifts to our society, and the world, because he lived in that great nation our Founding Fathers built with our Constitution and Bill of Rights. As a thank you to our nation and its founders, John ends his life story by offering a new plan to export our freedoms to everyone on earth. John believes that all things Constitutional came to our Founding Fathers and, ever since have come to us, from our Christian God. Many of our nation's framers were members of the Clergy. The Ten Commandments of our God are the bedrock upon which our wonderful nation is built If we continue to follow these Commandments and our freedoms, our future as a great leader of all nations will be assured.