This is a book of tales of a young boy growing up in the fifties. It begins, at the age of seven, in the dusty side yard of his Grandparent's home in rural North Carolina. It ends, at the age of eleven, on a white sandy beach in southern Alabama. The boy's name is Isaac Atticus Nightingale; he prefers to be called Ian. Ian's adventures show him the wonders of 'real' life where he learns from each incident. He sees what it takes in order to put food on the table. He learns the value of hard work as well as its necessity. And he learns the value of teamwork. From his family he is taught the necessary steps to reach any goal. These are; have faith in God, in himself, and in his family and friends; never give up on a mission; and work to be perfect in whatever task he chooses. His adventures also point out to him his 'longings' for something different in his current life. In this book, as he gets a little older, he puts to work what he has learned. He aches to fill the void in his life so, buoyed with his Faith in God, he sets out on a risky journey to do just that. Ian's experiences range from the humorous to the heartbreaking. He and his Grandfather chased a chicken down a street all the way to his Church. He fell out of a boat and off of a roof. He pitched a great baseball game and cheered as his best friend hit his first homer. He discovered the need for a time machine then learned he didn't really need it. He learned to fly and he didn't use a plane. And, he set off on a difficult mission to find his dad; even if it meant going all the way to Heaven to get God's help. He put to work his Faith and all that he had learned, but was it enough? The surprising answer is revealed in the end. The tales are inspired by things that actually took place. Some of them are real. Some of them are my imaginings; that doesn't mean they are not genuine. I might stretch the truth here and there but that's what makes it fun for me to write and for you to read.