John Martin was born into poverty in 1940. After struggling to feed her large family, his mother abandoned John and his younger brother in an old hotel room in 1947. Eventually, he realized that education would provide the escape from poverty that he sought, and since there was no money for college, he joined the Air Force and was chosen for training in computers. He found his niche in this field and soon advanced as far as he could in the USAF. In civilian life, he was highly successful in his chosen profession, but alcoholism, bipolar dis-ease, and cancer threatened to destroy him from within. Fighting through all these indignities he soon realized that what remained was a loving and supportive family. Random Indignities is a true story of overcoming adversity to lead a meaningful life.