"When I Was a Boy" describes the life of a young boy and teenager growing up in rural southwestern Arkansas; some of it was pastural and full of exploring the nearby landscape, and some of it was the necessary tasks contributing to fulfilling the needs of family life without the modern conveniences. Some of it records unique adventures on a nearby river and creeks that remain strong memories to this day, but a lot of it was the conflict with a father who was a very self-sufficient, ingenious, and family support dedicated man but was also authoritarian, completely self-centered and unfeeling for anyone's needs except his own. He was also, in later years, treated for mental instability. This book is about survival in that home and the help and support of someone outside the house who helped me personally redefine who I was. I hope this book helps those who may have experienced similar circumstances.