As a youngster I worked the river boats going down the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers, pushing barges to Chicago, then all the way down to New Orleans.

Because I had worked the river boats some summers, pushing as far as New Orleans, I joined the Merchant Marine.

Almost 70 percent of U.S. ag exports travel the upper Mississippi River and the Illinois waterway system.

The Great Mississippi Flood

So, I got into the law enforcement game. I worked for an outfit called Newton Detective Agency for a while. I worked eight hours on the waterfront making sure the longshoremen didn't take too many things.

I've always been fascinated by the Mississippi River and the way of life in these small river towns.