Mischief Makers

Book excerpt: The Musings of an ex-Moleque by Jeff Smith Jeff Smith's life can easily be summarized by two distinct periods of time. "The Musings of an ex-Moleque" tell the story of the first period. This time-frame is the first eighteen years of his life where Jeff truly was the product of his family's "old school" influence and the small town rural environment in which he was raised. In the 1950's and 60's, Sisters, Oregon was a small mill town of about 500 souls. Being situated in the very heart of Oregon and nestled at the foot of the Cascade Mountain Range, it offered a unique setting for a young lad to live a life of unfettered adventure, joy, and security. Jeff's story is the story of perhaps thousands of young American lads raised in a bygone era, one which probably will never be enjoyed again as our culture continues to change so drastically, leaving no room for little rascals to run free and wild. Author's Biography Jeff Smith was born on August 11th in the year 1952 in Redmond, Oregon. Jeff was the last of six children born to William Ray and Naomi Belle Smith. Though born in Redmond, Jeff was raised in the nearby town of Sisters. As Sisters was so small it had no hospital, so most babies in those days were born either in Redmond's newly built hospital or in neighboring Bend. Jeff was definitely a product of his familial upbringing and the small town rural environment in which he spent the first eighteen years of his adventurous life. Shortly after high school graduation in 1970 Jeff entered a missionary training center in Bend, Oregon in pursuit of his dream of being a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Brazil. That dream was interrupted by a two year tour of duty in the US Army, having been drafted number 34 in the end of the old lottery draft system.