Doreen Gehrke Verlag

17-year-old Ben lives with his mom and siblings in the sleepy and impoverished town of Sleepy Water near Memphis. He was the frontman of a band there for a few years, whose members have grown apart over time and started to pursue their other interests. It’s difficult for Ben to deal with this, as the band used to be everything to him and he actually saw himself touring the country with the band after school. He lets himself go. His grades at school get worse and after school he hides in his room, where he lies on his bed for hours, weeping over his bleak life and looking longingly at Susi’s window. Susi is the girl Ben is secretly in love with and it is also thanks to Susi that Ben goes to an audition for a music show. Because ＂Opportunities don’t fly towards you, Ben, but rather past you. You have to catch them and hold on to them,＂ Susi explains to him. Ben knows that Susi is right, because no band is going to come knocking on his door, he has to take the initiative himself. But that’s not easy, as his single mother would rather see him go to college and he doesn’t want to disappoint her. But when he finds out that Susi is moving to New York to live away from her abusive father, there’s no stopping Ben. One day after Susi’s departure, a new life begins for him with the audition in Memphis. A life that he shouldn’t let get him down. A life in which his past, his rather less pleasant childhood, keeps catching up with him. A life that is crammed with experiences that you can’t bear if you want and perhaps have to grow up too quickly. Ben will keep reminding himself of this: Don t let it get to you!