Michael Conway grew up in Charlottetown’s historic north and east ends. After grade ten, Conway left PEI for a career in the Canadian Forces. We follow Private Conway through the rituals of training — rigorous, comic, and occasionally tragic. He shows us the challenges and rewards of military life for a marriage. We join Conway overseas with Canada’s NATO troops and United Nations’ peacekeeping forces. He often returns, in his mind and on leave, to his beloved neighbourhoods, remembering the Lebanese shopkeepers and J.R.’s famous nite-club where Anne Murray and Stompin’ Tom launched their careers. Conway’s memoir is the story of a soldier’s return to his home ground, to his people in their aspirations and camaraderie, struggles and triumphs.