It is early in the spring of 1969. Jeff Jones, a 22 year old drifter with a troubled past is working at a lumber yard in northern New Hampshire. Battling depression and loneliness, he quits his job and moves on once again. Hitchhiking south, he winds up in the Massachusetts mill town of Stiller.
On the way, Jeff scores a ride with an attractive young hippie girl. She's headed to a commune in California and enthusiastically describes the counter culture movement to him. He is interested and impressed, but declines an offer to join her at ride's end. However, the woman gives him contact information should he change his mind in the future.
Once in Stiller, Jeff rents a room at the local YMCA. Next door to him lives a guitar-playing free spirit from Pennsylvania named Tom Slade, who is about Jeff's age. He goes mostly by "Slade" and also the nickname "Shotgun". Slade, also a drifter, is an idealist who is fascinated with all aspects of life. A charismatic figure, he's excited about simply being alive and what new experiences the future holds. Slade radiates that positivity to all who interact with him. He and Jeff meet and quickly become friends.
They secure jobs at a local textile factory on the third shift. There, they befriend two other young workers. Steven Railsback (Rails) is college educated and an aspiring writer. He is focused on the mill people and their nightly struggle as fodder for a novel. Ed Collins is an amateur boxer disgruntled with his mundane life in Stiller. He yearns for a way out. In addition, a striking young mill girl named Lynne becomes friendly with them.
Throughout the spring and summer, Jeff, Slade, Rails and Ed bond into a group. They share memorable experiences and participate in lengthy discussions about the counter culture movement. They debate the chances of it actually succeeding and at times ponder even joining it. All are intrigued by the change going on in America sparked by their generation.
The four become heavily influenced by Jack Kerouac's novels, the movie "Easy Rider" and the Woodstock festival. Swept up by the energy of the movement, the feeling builds in each of them to somehow, some way... to just go. All of this becomes a catalyst for Slade, the guy with all the ideas, to come up with a far-reaching proposal for them to do just that.
SHOTGUN is the story of the unique happenings that lead up to Slade's plan, its ultimate execution, and the unexpected life-changing consequences that occur as a result.

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• Literature & FictionHistorical Fiction

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• Print Length: 333 Pages
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