My father grew old early and died from Alzheimer's at age sixty-six. Two days after my father's death, we realized that my wife was pregnant. Nine months later came the arrival of our first-born son, and from the very day he was born, he reminded me of my father in so many ways. My brand-new baby boy had seasoned characteristics and mannerisms that were unlike those of any newborn. He was what people call an "old soul."

As my son grew in his capabilities and knowledge, he demonstrated skills that were not chronologically consistent with an inexperienced human child. He knew things I had not yet taught him. I saw him do things my father had taught me to do when I was very young. Sometimes, he even knew things that I didn't know, things that my father would have known. I truly wondered if it were possible that my father had reincarnated as my son.

I realized it could not go undocumented. I knew that I would forget too many details if I didn't write them down. So, I kept notes, lots of notes, and dated them. Those loose notes were eventually transferred to a draft manuscript that became this story.