As I was putting this book together, I noticed how many times I mention or hint at gas stations. Some are obvious. Some are not. Yet so many of my interactions take place at one, making it into my writing. Perhaps I'm finally noting their impact on the everyday lives of us all. They are places of community and connection, and sometimes a place to confess. To console, and be consoled, celebrate, and to confide. Where I live, they bring people together. We know the owners and co-workers at these places. They are family and friends. The bright beacons of these stations call us in for necessities or give us a place to stretch our legs. They are places to find every type of character, in every state of mind. They are very American, and very human indeed.

This is a book that observes and honors the extraordinary people in an ordinary community filled with heart.