In his intriguing story of how patience, coincidence, and perseverance brought political power to a neighborhood and solidarity to a workplace, Hayward McMullen emphasizes the importance of friendship in everyday life. As well as civil rights and social justice, he delivers a romantic chronicle that details the quest for love and affection.

Spanning thirty-two years, the novel portrays four heartwarming romances, but focuses on Kelsey and Gregg's romantic bond after they meet at a peace parade seeking an end to the Vietnam War. Estranged, for five years, what experiences brought them together, and what experiences will change them? Will their love survive the turmoil of Gregg's rotating shifts of fuel manufacture? Will they continue to follow Gandhi's advice to "Live simply so that others may simply live," as they did in their low income Central City neighborhood, or will they be charmed by the wealth and status of upscale Olympus Cove where they purchased a spacious house with a terraced backyard and a panoramic view of the Salt Lake Valley.

In the midst of such family and workplace tensions, there is suspenseful uncertainty as to whether the OSHA Inquest will find Gregg responsible for a frightening fuel fed fire, and whether a disciplinary hearing will find him guilty of uncivil behavior and sabotage. .