In this first-ever collection, Mark Allen North shares 25 short pieces, including several stories, a children's fable, and a wide variety of personal-experience essays spanning childhood through his years in the aerospace industry. This mix of memoir, humor, tribute, and appreciation covers a wide range of topics, each looking at the world we inhabit, past and present. Essays such as Bugle Boy, A Shared Garden, The Ice Chest, Boy Scout Camp, Away All Boats, Fly with Me, Bear Hunt, and Fish On will resonate with all readers, young and not-so-young. Writing many of these as he approached his 80th year, North offers a nostalgic look at the simple truths that shape who we are. Time Past... Time Present is Mark Allen North's loving message to family, friends, and everyone who appreciates a good tale.