War Stories & Other Lies

Born August 1944, shortly before the end of WWII, Jerry was always fascinated by rumors of peace and prosperity. Unfortunately, he had siblings and cousins that constantly cracked him on the head and stole his allowance. He entered elementary school (called grade school in the old days) and soon found many friends that also cracked him on the head and stole his money. He led a life of poverty so severe he couldn’t even afford a camera to take pictures of his measly existence. He survived by eating beans and potatoes and cornbread nearly every meal. Finally, he entered Valley High School and soon rose to the top of his class (well, pretty close as vice president) and prospered by using all the techniques used on him to crack heads and steal the money of his classmates.

College during the 60’s was a learning experience. Mostly he learned he didn’t want to work all his life, so upon graduation, he joined the USAF and became the (self-proclaimed) world’s greatest fighter pilot. After a year’s vacation in Vietnam and three years in England, he settled in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he continued to fly fighter planes for the New Mexico Air National Guard and owned a couple businesses. He became a real estate tycoon (i.e., slum lord) and finally went to work for Continental Airlines as a pilot, retiring in 2004 with over fifteen thousand hours flying time. He now is a land baron (thirty acres) and lives on his estate near Savannah, Tennessee, with his wife and dog. Unfortunately, his current wife cracks him on the head and takes his money. Some things in life never change.

In this surprisingly funny memoir, writer Jerry Key looks back at his life and offers a comical and uncanny view from childhood mishaps to retirement some sixty years later, but he reveals valuable life lessons that apply to us all. Most of all, this book provides a journey of living life and enduring life experiences with the insight of wisdom and a positive outlook.