Stephen Michael Zimmerman

Broken Road Stephen Michael Zimmerman

It is 1953 in rural Ontario, and a 5-year-old boy's cheeks are wet with drool. His eyes are focused on his red-faced father. Soon, his father's words are not relevant, for the young man has already received the only message that matters: this day will not be scored as a no-hitter. The boy, who thinks of himself as Ranger, wants to grow up and be just like the Lone Ranger. But his harsh and unavailable father seems determined to make his coming-of-age journey tumultuous, challenging and isolated. With a mother who could do little to balance the turmoil, he must rely on his imagination to transport him away from the strife and tension that hangs over his home like a dark cloud. As he rides his make-believe horse, Silver, down Main Street with his six-shooters strapped to his waist, he momentarily forgets the angry father who often stands over him with a belt and threatens to rob him of his spirit. In this moving tale, a young boy engaged in a quiet war of wills with his father must learn how to survive and thrive as he grows into a man and realizes the true meaning of forgiveness.