Whether or not it was puppy love, depended on who was the puppy! brian macdonald didn't feel that way in 1944 when twenty-three old jeanette smith, attractive wife of an air corp pilot, started teaching literature at brandon high school. he hung around after class for additional instructions in plato and shakespeare, among other things. romantic obsession, nirvana on the live stage, death during combat, and impossible to accept rejection describes what goes on in brian's life during his senior year. his time in the navy, a wavering belief in god, de je vue with another older woman, college hi jinks, recall to active duty during korea, marriage to a high school sweetheart, heart breaking infertility, divorce without a guilty party, procrastination at its worst, early signs of the quagmire that became known as vietnam are assimilated in to the story. words of a favorite preacher and the assassination of president kennedy finally motivates brian to take a long postponed delay en route. his ultimate surprise adds to the reader's been there, done that perspective as they re-live through the words of delay en route the traumatic mid-years of the twentieth century in preparation for the uncertain days that lie ahead.