Do you remember when you were young and having friends was the most important thing in the world....and how bad it felt not to have any? Three young boys in a small southern town know what its like to be outcast, never picked on the playground?Ǫalways the butt of jokes. Then one day, a violent playground assault by bullies brings them together, sowing the seeds of friendship and opening the door for a summer of wonder where they discover the feeling of being called my friend . Suddenly their world becomes bigger as they experience new adventures together. But the town has its dark side. The boys struggle to cope with old prejudices and bigotry. A hateful remark reveals a secret that threatens to destroy one boys world and raises difficult questions for the boys to sort out. Personal tragedies change their lives forever and draw them closer. To their delight, their families also grow close as their equally isolated mothers discover friendships of their own and find shoulders they will lean heavily upon during the heartbreaks. Their mothers discover more about themselves as they watch their sons bloom. As boyhood frolics toward manhood, each boy ponders his relationship with his father, or lack thereof. Tragedy and family secrets make them wonder what it means to be a man...or a father.