The lure of the open road and the undeniable wanderlust of the heart have overtaken the life of young, kindhearted Jay Patterson. When he meets confident, free-spirited Willy Jacobs, Jay hesitantly becomes a bohemian of the highway in this tale set in the late seventies. Their unforgettable cross-country journeys by hitchhiking and riding the rails lead them to extraordinary situations beyond their imaginations. Willy is a friendly street-smart drifter who applies his zany roadside therapies to help Jay overcome his crisis of confidence. As the unlikely pair travel, Willy philosophizes and uses his strong personality and energy persuading Jay into becoming a hitchhiking junkie. The vagabonds meet with unexpected encounters and come face-to-face with themselves and the harsh realities of the open highway. They stumble upon many others who are traveling and tending to their own physical, psychological and emotional wounds. Paranoia strikes at the heart of their journey as they cross the path a number of times with a mysterious psychopathic couple. While traveling alone from Arizona to Maine, Jay meets a female drifter. The decisions they make could result in a magical relationship or a tragic goodbye. To share more of the plot would spoil this richly satisfying read. I will say that there are some subplots, that are interesting, and as a retired road warrior myself, I once again found myself floating back to my own experiences. Thumb Flagging makes for a wonderful read. Jerome Peterson has done an outstanding job on the character and plot development. We meet the young neophyte Jay Patterson, and end knowing the worldly wise Jaybirdy! -- Simon Barrett http: //www.bloggernews.net/12191