This book is a chronology of the early life of the author, Richard B. Johnson, starting in the town of North Brookfield, Massachusetts.

The author was charged as a juvenile with the crime of arson and then remanded to the custody of the Massachusetts Youth Service Board and sent to the Roslindale detention center.

Written from the perspective of a resident who, because of earlier experiences, thought that this school was a good place to live, it provides a unique view into the problems and solutions facing the juvenile correctional facilities at the time.

For instance, there is a particularly poignant story about a Boston police officer beating Johnson when he was discovered playing a church pipe organ that he had recently repaired.

Even as Johnson was approaching adulthood, he found people who had the faith to trust him with activities of significant consequence.

"Bob" Brown later worked for the newly formed DYS helping correct its horrific past.