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Steve Sharp is a Desert Storm wounded veteran who takes up welding after being discharged from the U.S. Marines. After learning the trade of welding he goes to work working at it on the Alaskian Pipeline, in Oklahoma and on some South American oil platforms. After four years and saving his money he decides to go on vacation in Florida for a while and this is where the stories begin.

His full name is Steven Gregory Sharp[1].

Early Biography and Possible Timeline[]

References below are to chapters in Vacation?[]

  • Steve was born in a small town (about 1967), has an older brother (Henry Sharp) and older sister (Susan).
  • Before Steve is five, Susan is still at home (possibly high school), but Henry is away at college[2].
  • Finished high school and was working part-time in a grocery store, and also "flipping burgers"[3].
  • Tried junior college but got bored. Liked to ride his Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
  • Older brother and sister moved to a big city to live and work.
  • Steve's father got killed at work; his mother "died of loneliness".
  • Steve served and was injured (one leg) in Desert Storm. That was 1990 to early 1991.
  • After about nine months of surgeries and rehab he was discharged from Marines. He was twenty-four at the time, this must have been 1991.
  • Spent a year in welding school on Veterans benefit (graduated in 1992).
  • Spent eighteen months in Alaska, then transferred to Texas/Oklahoma (around the end of 1993).
  • After working nine months in CONUS, transferred to an oil platform off Belize coast.
  • After a little over a year, Steve decided to take a long vacation, and is dropped off in Miami (around end of 1995).

Steve starts his "Vacation" in late 1995/early 1996, when he is 28 or 29 years old[4]. The first book ends with Day 76[5]. However, later references indicate that Vacation? starts at the beginning of 1999, so perhaps Steve spent more time knocking around various oil fields (3 years is a pretty big discrepancy, though).

On Day 19 of Vacation, Steve buys a computer with Windows 98 pre-installed[6], so this must have been after 25 June 1998.

Alternate Timeline based on Vacation?[]

1970 - Steve is born

1988 Steve graduates High School

1989 Steve in Community College

1990 Steve joins Marines

1992 Steve wounded

1993 Steve discharged

1994 Steve in welding school

1995-96 Steve working in Alaska

1997 Steve working in Oklahoma

1998 Steve on platforms off Belize

Feb 1999 Steve in Tampa (age 29)

June 1999 Steve marries Sue

Vacation Two[]

Chapter 11 starts on July 2, 1999.

Later, Steve thinks to himself that it's early 2001, just past his second anniversary as a resident of Florida. That implies he moved to Florida in late 1998/early 1999[7].

At one point, Steve says he is 31, going on to 32.[8]

Later still, he reminisces that "Back in '99, J.J. or Jake Junior was nine going on ten, Carl was nine, Ben was eight, and Barbara was seven"[9].

There is also a problem with Barb. She is "going to be seven" on Day Five of Vacation?[10], and she was "pretty young" when her father, Jake dies on the first day of Desert Storm, that is 17 January 1991. This means Steve moves to Florida no later than January 1998; more likely 1997 or even 1996.

Wives and Children[]

Steve has only married Sue Sharp officially, but is in a de-facto marriage with the other ladies.

Names[]

The other wives and several adopted children also took his last name, after theirs, based on the following conversation[11]:

"I wish for Mercy, Juanita, and Kathy to legally change your last name to Sharp." They all looked up at me quickly, but I held my hand up to keep them quiet for a minute longer.


The way I would wish it to be done would be your full name as it is today with Sharp as the last name. This way you will never lose the name identity you originally had. I think Sue should change her name to add Phillips before Sharp as well. For you Kathy, if your kids would want, I would be proud if they were to add my name to theirs.
I was attacked. Four ladies came at me, hugging and kissing me, knocking me to my back, with them piled on top. Kathy said, "I wondered how you were going to do that. It's a pretty sneaky way to gather all of your women and family even closer. Now I'll really have three sisters, even if we are wives. This is the craziest poly group ever."
Sue said, "I had wanted to keep the Phillips name as I want it to live on, even though there isn't a boy to keep it going. This is just as good. We can do this."
Juanita was out and out crying, near sobbing, "It is so beautiful to have your name and my Manuel's name as well. This is the most you could ever give me, my Steve."


Mercy just smiled ever so sweetly, "Thank you for giving me your name. Our babies have your name and I will have your name, but I needed mine to be the same too. Thank you, I love you."

.

Sue Phillips Sharp[]

  1. Stevie Sharp
  2. Lizzy Sharp (Elizabeth Ann)
  3. Danny Sharp (Daniel Benjamin) (Manny's twin)
  4. Manny Sharp (Manuel Phillip) (Danny's twin)

Mercy Michael Sharp[]

  1. Michael Steven Sharp
  2. Trixie Sharp
  3. Dixie Sharp
  4. Tom Steven Merlin Sharp

Juanita Sharp[]

No joint kids, as far as we know.

Kathy Lofton Sharp[]

Not sure if Kathy kept her maiden name as middle name, or Jake's name, which we do not know either.

  1. J.J. from her earlier marriage to Jake, adopted by Steve and took the Sharp name
  2. Ben from her earlier marriage to Jake, adopted by Steve and took the Sharp name
  3. Carl from her earlier marriage to Jake, adopted by Steve and took the Sharp name
  4. Barb from her earlier marriage to Jake, adopted by Steve and took the Sharp name
  5. Gregory Steven Sharp (Greg)
  6. Bonita Sharp

Giovanna Martinelli[]

Also called Gio:[12]

  • Gioia (from previous husband)
  • Mario (from previous husband)

References[]

  1. Vacation-Two, chapter 65
  2. "Happy Valentine's Day"
  3. Vacation?, Prologue
  4. Vacation?, chapter 1
  5. Vacation?, chapter 76
  6. Vacation?, chapter 19
  7. Vacation-Two, chapter 36
  8. Vacation-Two, chapter 52
  9. Vacation-Two, chapter 64
  10. Vacation?, chapter 5
  11. Vacation-Two, chapter 68
  12. Steve and Chuck - Changes and Life Adjustments, chapter 7
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