American Outlaw - Jesse James [147]
My foot presses down on the gas pedal a little more. I blast through the desert, wind whipping at my face, toward home.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank Judge Diesler from the Riverside Juvenile Court. I am sure that if he wasn’t as hard on me as he was, I wouldn’t be around today to write these words. He just gave me the maximum sentence every time without bothering to look up at me. I never actually saw his face all of those times I was in front of him. I wish he were still around, so I could shake his hand.
Would also like to thank the following football coaches:
Gil Lake
Dave Perkins
Coach Bradshaw
Coach Reed
These guys were not afraid to spit in my face and tell me I was wrong. They filled a huge gap in my life and gave me the discipline I needed to make it.
I would also like to thank Jennifer Bergstrom for letting me do things my way.
Also a heartfelt thanks to Jeremie Ruby-Strauss, because he told me, “Thank your editor, fucker!” And to Jen Robinson, for getting the word out.
Last, would like to thank Sam Benjamin, for taking my lifetime of stories and making them into an actual book.
INSERT PHOTOGRAPH CREDITS
Page 1 (clockwise from top left): the author; the author; Carol James; the author
Page 2 (clockwise from top left): Carol James; the author; Scott Patterson; Melody Groom
Page 3 (clockwise from top left): the author; Carol James; the author; the author
Page 4 (clockwise from top left): the author; Karla James; Karla James; Carol James
Page 5 (from top to bottom): Karla James; Alain Saquet
Page 6 (from top to bottom): Karla James; the author
Page 7: the author
Page 8 (clockwise from top left): the author; the author; Tyson Beckford
Page 9 (from top to bottom): Rob Fortier; the author
Page 10: the author
Page 11: Hildie Katibah
Page 12: the author
Page 13: the author
Page 14: the author
Page 15: the author
Page 16: Hildie Katibah
My mom in 1964.
My dad in 1976.
Family portrait with my mom, dad, and sister, Julie.
Building cars as a kid.
Little badass in 1977, already dreaming about my first motorcycle.
Young punk with a flattop, 1984.
Me in junior high.
Wearing #55 for La Sierra High School.
Rhonda, on the day I surprised her with a customized Volkswagen Beetle.
Laid up from the knee injury that ended my football career.
In Scotland with Danzig’s Rick Dittamo in 1989.
A little light reading on the tour bus.
Getting my very first tattoo: Karla’s name on my leg.
Dressed to impress with Karla, 1993.
The early bike-building days, working in my garage.
New dad with baby Chandler in 1994.
In Long Beach with the 1976 Harley I built myself.
With legendary hot-rodder Boyd Coddington.
Getting Chandler and Jesse Jr. started early.
From exes to best friends: Karla and me in 2004.
Young love: Janine and me.
Life with Janine was never boring.
Janine and me on our honeymoon in Mexico, 2002.
Going for a ride in Daytona Beach with Janine.
Chandler keeping me company while I get inked.
In Japan with Chandler in 2003.
In Daytona with Tyson Beckford.
Kid Rock and me in Afghanistan.
Kid Rock, Pamela Anderson, and me.
From welder to reality TV star.
Sandy and Sunny in London.
The happy family: Sandy, Sunny, and me.
The loves of my life: Chandler, Sunny, and Jesse Jr. in 2007.
Father and son in 2009.
Self-portrait in rehab.
Me in 2010, doing what I love.