by Rick Davis - This Incredible Adventure Called Life

I attended Montgomery College and for the first time earned really good grades. It was that summer Dad talked me into working for AT&T for a few months. Dad was a Sr manager at AT&T and retired after 37 years. I think he pulled some strings to get me the job but it was perfect for a 19 year old with no experience. I started on May 14 working the night shift in Oakton, VA. I can't believe mom let me do it. At 19, I was driving 37 miles of highway at midnight and then home again in the morning in my white '76 Camaro I bought from Sherrie for $2000 with the paper route money I earned delivering the Washington Post at 4AM everyday for a year when I was in 11th grade. The pay at ATT was great and it was a solid company so my plan to work the summer only faded quickly. I remained at ATT for 15 years before leaving for AOL to join Scott. I transferred to a new data center in Silver Spring, MD where Dad was working and continued to work nights. AT&T had a tuition program and would eventually pay the bulk of my college education so I transferred to the Univ of MD working full time while reducing my classes down to 12 credits. Before leaving Oakton I met a beautiful, young girl, Cristina, who would eventually become my wife and best friend. I transferred back to Oakton to be closer to her and after 2 years of dating we were married. I continued to work and attend school but having a young family took its toll and I had to reduce my schedule to 6 credits. From 1988-1990 I went to school year round and after 7 long years I graduated with a BS degree in Technology and Management. They don't even offer this any longer but I had my degree and was now the sole provider for my wife and 2 young sons. I eventually became a systems programmer and systems analyst before leaving in 1999. Cris and I were married in 1986 and bought a townhouse in Manassas Park, VA. We would move 2 more times in Manassas and eventually moved to Winchester in 2016. I joined

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