In the summer of 1965, 16-year-old Paul takes a job at a Shell Station in town. Paul has lived a sheltered life up until this point, protected by the isolation of his family’s farm and the restrictions of his family’s religion. But when he begins working at the gas station, he “meets the public” and begins to examine the values he’s been taught all of his life.

Paul’s discoveries about himself, his family and the public are entertaining and interesting. But my favorite part was reading about how gas stations worked in 1965. The service the people received was incredible, and the respect with which customers expected to be treated was mind-boggling. I have been at gas stations where I actually paid inside, and was not greeted or even given eye contact. Apparently in 1965, things worked a bit differently, at least at this particular Shell station.

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