The Mayors of Santa Rosa

This book has an unlikely, but plausible, plot. The main character, Dean, has solid mechanical skills and his current job does not require such. Dean realizes he must start over. Starting over involves moving in with an old Navy buddy and putting some of his "skeletons in the closet" behind him. There are no "F" bombs, no sex, and no violence. It is the author's intent for the work to have universal appeal. Even so, a good portion of the book involves a technical school. Even those with college degrees and dream careers know people who are struggling. We could all stand to know more about the struggle of others!

The main character, Dean Thulen, is stumbling through life. He has a domestic violence arrest but not convicted. He has been sober for weeks but is starting to drink again. A chance conversation with tourists, a man and wife, at the checkout counter makes Dean recall the advice of his Aunt: "You will meet Jesus someday." Dean's idea of meeting Jesus is not the TV evangelist with bad hair. Dean asks questions. The man answers the best he can. The conversation involves misunderstanding but Dean finds these folks unique and declares he has met Jesus. He knows from his aunt life will be better after this milestone. At home Dean recalls the encounter with his wife. Just as the conversation turns to Dean not ever drinking again, a policeman makes a follow up visit on the domestic violence arrest. After a long exchange the officer declares Dean has indeed met Jesus. He relates this to his wife during a lunch date. She is a TV reporter. She finds the tourists and does the interview of her career. All this in the first four chapters! Twenty-four to go with much more of the same. No reader would ever predict Dean's eventual career or how a reporter's one interview could change hers. This book is not really about Santa Rosa or Mayors. It could be any city and any mayors!

Randall G Bonjour is a retired car dealer. Summers are spent at his childhood home in Savanna IL; winter months are spent in Pensacola FL. Thirty years of his life was spent in Fairbanks, Alaska. He has been married to Susie for forty-six years, raising three children. She is a retired master kindergarten teacher. Randall graduated from Quincy College, Quincy IL. Between semesters he worked at General Fabricators and Erectors in Clinton IA as a structural steel foreman.