Two weeks before school starts, Meg Pryor takes a job filling in as a waitress at a café near Penn State. The coffeehouse is always filled with young artists, and Meg enjoys getting to know the customers and listening to their ideas. After spending time with activists like Drew and the hip kids on American Bandstand, Meg finds the calm, introverted poets, philosophers, and intellectuals she meets refreshing. She's especially intrigued by Greg Carver, a brilliant and gorgeous college sophomore.

When the café might be forced to shut down, the regulars are disappointed. Greg sees it as just another example of "the man" inevitably pushing freethinkers out of the way. Meg almost believes him, until her family reminds her that one person can make a difference. She doesn't know if she can fight City Hall and win, but she has to try...