"So Wade, if I take yours and Rick's advice and plead guilty to all of the counts, everything, with no plea agreement of any kind, what do you think will happen to me?"

"Jim, if you do this, if you accept full responsibility, go into court and say I did this, I am guilty, I am responsible, and accept whatever the Court gives you, you will get your life back, and you will have more riches than you could ever imagine."

It took me some time to accept this advice from my two lawyers, both good friends. In the end, at the 11th hour, that is what I did. On the 29th, of November, 1993, the first Monday after Thanksgiving, I walked into Wake County Superior Court and, taking their advice, did just that. It was the hardest decision I had ever made.

There was no guarantee of what would happen to me. I decided to hold on tight and jump, hoping for a soft landing. This is the story of that time.