Between the covers of a fictional book that features elements of reality: To look at imposing Ralph Carter no one would guess that events in his childhood haunt him and affect his behavior. Memories of being accused of murdering his older brother and shadowy feelings of child abuse by his drunken father constantly creep into his psyche.Marrying Cynthia before he gets a long delayed promotion to Assistant Buyer and a transfer to Germany by the Military Support System (MSS), and having two daughters he adores, tricks him into believing he has overcome his past. Things change when she asks for a divorce and reveals shocking information about herself. Ralph is plummeted back in time with visions of imagined things on the ceiling and insomnia.Then a major scandal in Europe involving buyers accepting kickbacks, gifts, and sexual favors from vendors causes him to vow never to give into such temptations. Like New Years' Resolutions, the good intentions fade when he becomes a Buyer in the San Francisco region. There he deals with an ogre for a boss, sabotage by an alcoholic associate who feels she deserved his job, and striving to be accepted as a team player. Wanting to provide a good life for his family, he vacillates between staying with the government organization and finding another job as another scandal explodes