Burritos and Gasoline: A Novel

by Jamie Beckett

After more than twenty years of bad decisions and spectacular personal failures, Frank Stevens, a lifelong underachiever, needs a drastic change. The day he is unceremoniously fired from his job he arrives home to find empty space. All of his belongings are gone, and so is his live-in girlfriend, Jackie. But things only get worse.Four months later, on the brink of eviction and vaguely suicidal, Frank's salvation appears in the form of Danny Loughman, a nearly forgotten and barely recognizable childhood friend. Danny asks for what seems like a simple a ride home. Easy enough, until Frank learns that "home" is a thousand miles away from his run-down, suburban Connecticut apartment. Seeing Danny's request as an opportunity to escape his miserable existence, Frank spontaneously embarks on a four-day long road trip with his old friend.The journey forces Frank to evaluate his true character and discover the man he still could be. He has a chance at redemption if he can pull himself together, provided he isn't completely insane

194 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Jamie Beckett is all over the map. Born in Phoenix, Arizona, schooled in the suburbs of Hartford, Connecticut, and residing by choice in central Florida for nearly three decades, his mind wanders as broadly as his body does. A musician who became a pilot, Jamie has a tendency to write about issues and mix ideas that may not initially seem to be naturally compatible - and yet, they are.

Be cautious. Enlightenment may ensue.

Equally at home astride a motorcycle, at the controls of an airplane, playing guitar in front of an audience, or tapping away on a keyboard, Beckett's made a career out of seeing the world through a different prism than most of us and then sharing his observations in a quirky, sometimes humorous, and often inspirational style. What he's not, is dull. Whether reading his fiction or non-fiction, Jamie's take on the world around him is refreshingly unique and unabashedly genuine.

Jamie, who occasionally adopts the persona of a cranky old man, is in fact nowhere near cranky, although he is aging at the normal rate.

Beckett openly admits to being almost embarrassingly enthusiastic about the work he does and the hobbies he pursues.

The Beckett clan shares their home with four dogs, three cats, and a chicken. All are rescues. He claims to be annoyed by the menagerie underfoot on an almost daily basis. However, none of his close friends or family members believe a word of it.

Take anything this man says with a grain of salt. But take it nonetheless. You'll be glad you did.

Reviews

[Richard Derus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.75* of five

The Book Report: Unfinished business reunites old, long-estranged friends Danny Lougman and Frank Stevens at the lowest imaginable point in Frank's life: His long-term girlfriend left him the same day his shitty job in economically below-depressed East Hartford, Connecticut, let him go after eight years. He came home to a completely empty apartment then and hasn't had the money or the will to change that since. Danny, looking like hell on holiday, arrives on Frank's front porch just as he's decided that he'll end this pathetic, horrible excuse of a life he hasn't been leading so much as staggering under. Danny has a simple request for the broke, miserable Frank: Take me home. After a waffle, Frank says yes, okay, you're my oldest friend even if I haven't seen you in twenty years, let's go, where to?

Gainesville, Florida.

Thus begins a road trip that allows two men in bad shape to find and restore their old closeness, after a weird fashion, and Danny's sibylline utterances go from pissing Frank off, making him feel accused and judged, to making him think, to opening his heart and mind to the possibility that here and now isn't the end of hope but possibly the beginning.

Arriving in Florida at last, Frank's elderly Taurus (the bull, this isn't made much of, but it's very quietly significant) dies a well-earned death and strands Frank at a beautiful home with attractive strangers telling him incredible, impossible things that must be true, because there is no other logical or illogical explanation.

The last twenty or so pages of this nicely written version of [The Celestine Prophecy] and [How to Win Friends and Influence People]'s bastard child made me mist over and smile through sentimental tears. Roll your eyes all you want, cynics and skeptics, some days a guy needs to hear that things can and WILL work out, even when it looks like they can't and won't.


My Review: “Hey, don’t you worry. If you believe it happened, I’m going to believe it did, too.”

“Why would you do that?” I asked skeptically.

Mel took a deep breath, looked me directly in the eye and forcefully launched into a quiet tirade.

“Because I was orphaned as a teenager and I need something to look forward to, that’s why. I work at a gas station convenience store, and believe it or not, that’s the best job I’ve ever had. It might be the best job I’ll ever have. My best friend bought the house we live in with tips that a bunch of sweaty old truckers stuffed into her G-string while she danced around a pole naked for their entertainment. Her boyfriend is a semi-literate redneck whose family would probably lynch the both of them if they knew what their baby boy was doing, and from the moment I laid eyes on you, I found myself being strangely attracted to you for reasons I just can’t explain....”

The litany sounded like it might go on forever. “Considering all that, I hope you won’t be too offended if I choose to be a ‘glass half full’ girl and have a little faith in you and a bit of hope for my own future.”-- (pp. 152-153). . Kindle Edition.

If that doesn't explain my rating of the book, then nothing I might find to say will explain it any better.

Part of my terrible addiction to Kindle freebies.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't decide on how many stars to rate this book.

I was incredibly pleased with the first 70% of the book. I think it was somewhere after that point that the book started to shift. I can't post what the shift was without spoiling things for other readers.

I love how things began to change for the better for people and the kindnesses shown from person-to-person but the way it occurred just left me conflicted.

I do think the book speaks well of the need for all of us to realize how we all have the opportunity to make positive changes for ourselves and others. The themes in the book make me feel like the author is a good-hearted individual and I intend to check out his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/burritosandgasoline

[Letitia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was quite different from anything I've previously read. I'm pretty sure I got it as a free kindle book, so... good deal! I recommend this book.

[John Blumenthal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent novel, fast read, well-drawn characters.

[Sandy Sandmeyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book especially since I'm from CT but live in FL. It's. not what you expect but something much better. I highly recommend reading this book.

[Zoe Jussel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting concept for a novel and don't I wish a happy ending like this one would come MY way!

[M.T. Bass · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I got to the end of this road trip, I was kind of scratching my head and staring at the map, wondering how, exactly, I got here from there. Like, the bridge was out, but we made it anyway without taking a detour. Redemption seemed to come just a little too easily and conveniently for Frank, so while I had rooted for him to pull out of his “death spiral” on the journey down I95, his “happily ever after” victory felt a bit hollow.