Willard Watson was born in 1905 in Deep Gap, North Carolina - only one mile away from the place he would die 89 years later. He only attended school until fourth grade, but his lack of formal education didn't seem to slow him down. In his lifetime, he worked at a sawmill, cut timber in Montana, became an elusive moonshiner and flat-foot dancer, and tried his hand in toy carving. 

Though these many pursuits appear to have little in common, they are all intertwined through Willard's paramount skill: storytelling. It never took much convincing for Willard to launch into a detailed recollection of "them good old days" for a captive audience of grandchildren, cousins, newscasters, or perfect strangers. The stories he told are largely drawn from his own experiences, sometimes also coming from family legends and the experiences of his many acquaintances. But the purpose of these recollections go far beyond reminiscing. They give wisdom for days ahead through always making a point about life.