“It’s a lot of work,” Tyler says. “It’ll take a day just to clear the mess.”

“It’s a big job, but,” I tell them, “if we get the town to pitch in, we can do it.”

“How long?” Jake asks, looking at me, slouching in his chair. “I’m assuming we are all here because this isn’t a job that you want to take your time doing.”

“I’d like to have it done by the time she comes back,” I tell the table, and a couple of them groan.

“I can have a crew come in,” Casey says. “To help with clearing the area.”

“I can ask at the station. I’m sure the boys will want to pitch in,” Jacob says.

“Like it or not, the bar was a meeting point in town. Many of you stopped by there on the way home from work or just to blow off some steam. It’s a shame if we don’t have that anymore.”

“I can start clearing it right away,” Tyler says, then looks at Casey. “Any extra help will be appreciated, but I’ll work through the night if I have to.”

“So will I,” Tony says, and twenty minutes later, when they walk out of the room, I sit down.

“That was some pitch,” Jacob says. “Does she know you’re doing this?”

“No,” I answer. “She told me she didn’t think she belonged here. She thinks this whole town hates her, and I want to show her that she’s wrong.”

“Well, if this isn’t the biggest grand gesture of life,” Casey says as he gets up, “I don’t know what is.” He looks at Jacob. “I’m going to head over there and see if I can help do anything now.”

I drive by the site an hour later and see that about forty people are working. Tyler has gotten an extra rig so they can pick up the pieces of what was her bar. I drive to the diner to get food for everybody. Tony is at the counter eating. “Hey, there.” I slip onto the stool beside him. “How are you?”

“Good,” he says as Mr. Lewis comes out of the back.

“Hey there, can I get about a hundred burgers?” He looks at me funny. “It’s for the cleanup crew at the bar.”

He nods his head. “I heard about that,” he says. “I’ll take care of it. I can’t help them, but it can be my contribution.” He turns and walks back into the kitchen, leaving me speechless.

“Hey, Beau.” I see some of the older men sitting at the table in the middle of the room. “We heard that you want to rebuild the bar in a week.”

“I’m going to try,” I tell them.

“We may be old, but we have some good times left in us,” one of them says. “We will be there tomorrow morning.”