Rich Howard lives comfortably in Guilford, Connecticut, with his wife, Yvette, and two cats. Close by are his sons, Robert and Paul, their wives, and his five grandchildren. His working past included managing both billion-dollar mutual funds and the similar-sized investment portfolios of institutional clients. He is now trying to become semiretired. However, the supposed occasional hour spent analyzing energy securities continues to engage him and typically leads to far more work. Boiling Point Energy, the small family investment partnership he helps manage, is named for the Ras Tanura home he left so many years ago. Rich has served on the Board of Trustees of both Millikin University and Quinnipiac University where he is happy to now have emeritus status, having largely reduced responsibilities. Other enjoyed activities include woodworking, gardening, and reading. Thanks to the inactivity caused by COVID-19, he is "probably" retired from playing basketball. Aramco Brat, his first book, has taught him that writing is hard work. In the unlikely event he authors a second, it will be an espionage novel that plagiarizes Brat and fills in the blanks of what might and may well have happened during his time in Arabia.

Introduction

Chapter 1: The Crash

Chapter 2: Nomadic Youth

Chapter 3: "May God Give You Strength"

Chapter 4: Dhahran and Its School

Chapter 5: Khobar Kid

Chapter 6: Crusader Castles

Chapter 7: The Dhahran-RT Road

Chapter 8: Boiling Point

Chapter 9: Before Bratdom

Chapter 10: Vacation Memories

Chapter 11: Howard Family Aramco Deities

Chapter 12: Home Ownership

Chapter 13: The Theater Beckons

Chapter 14: School, Sports, and Scouts

Chapter 15: Spies and Villains

Chapter 16: Randolph Meriwether Vaughan

Chapter 17: Golden Speculation

Chapter 18: Cranbrook School

Chapter 19: Summer of '64

Chapter 20: After the Crash

Chapter 21: An Agent in Place

Chapter 22: Reflections

Acknowledgments

About the Author