Joe O'Brien has lived in Springfield, Illinois, for all of his life. He went to grade school and high school in Springfield, then college and law school at St. Louis University. He worked as an Administrative Law Judge for the Illinois Commerce Commission for over 43 years, taught accounting at night at a junior college for 22 years, was a substitute teacher for 22 years, has been a referee and umpire for 61 years and a private practice attorney since 2010. He resides with his wife, Phyllis, in Springfield. He says he wrote this story because he grew up an only child of only children. He lived in an older neighborhood with no children his age. Until he went to school, his only friend was a stuffed cat. To him, that stuffed cat was real. Not a real cat, but a real friend.