A Pakistani brother and sister own the store and provide a stunning contrast to the aimless youth who afflict them with their constant presence. There is a palpable tension between them, almost spiraling into violence. They just don’t "get" each other.

The catalyst in the story (if you can call it a story) is Jeff. He is the philosopher, the questioner, the one who still reflects upon his life and tries to make some sense of it. He is often at odds with his buddies, Buff, who lives for food, drink, and sex; and Tim, an ex-military man who is a drunk cynic. He’s also enamored of Sooze, who is dreaming of becoming a performance artist in New York. Sooze’s friend BeeBee, a rehabilitated user and nurse’s aide, mostly hangs around looking like she’s looking for something to fill up her emptiness.

So we have these young adults basically lost in the morass between childhood and adulthood, not knowing where to turn for direction, when an old buddy, Pony, re-enters the scene, accompanied by his publicist. He has returned to town to give a concert, but none of his buddies attended because they couldn’t afford the ticket. Pony has "made it," whatever that means. He is a successful songwriter/performer, and he had a desire to return to his hometown to see old friends and revisit his past. Their reaction to his lifestyle, symbolized by the limo and all that goes with it, catapults the story to a whole new level. Characters rise and fall to new levels of enlightenment or despair. At the end of the story, the storeowner comments, reminding me of the Greek chorus, interpreting the affairs of men.

The set was wonderfully cheesy (Steve Decker), the costumes blatantly sexy for the girls and very casual for the guys (Candace Decker). The lighting was a bit erratic, but it was only a dress rehearsal. The acting was the outstanding part. All the characters were well-delineated. The stand-outs were Chris Doyle as Jeff, Catherine Domke as Sooze and Russell Monroe as Tim. We wanted to save Jeff, but knew he could eventually save himself. Tim, the perennial macho man, was impressive in his physical strength but pitiful in his lack of any emotion but anger. We cared about him, nonetheless, but were not at all optimistic about his future. Sooze, Jeff’s girlfriend, was cute and sexy and would use anyone who could help her fulfill her dream. The irony is that she would probably end up as unhappy as Pony and his assistant Erika were, but at least she was pursuing something, which is more than many of them were doing.

Ryan Lamb, who played Pony, seemed like a far cry from a star. Maybe he was dumbing down for his old friends, but something was missing here. Maybe a bit more swagger - something. Sean Duncan was very believable as the Pakistani store owner. He captured the ambivalence of his position as a newcomer to America. Shane Alvey as Buff was a bit inconsistent, but quite plausible as the ultimate crass boor. Victoria Hench as BeeBee, Jessica Rolfsmeyer as Erica and Anitra Birr as Pakeeze adequately filled out the rest of the cast.

One leaves the theater thinking, and that is a good thing. Does "Kwik Trip" symbolize life itself? Then we better hurry to put some meaning into it. Kudos to Steve Decker and his cast and crew for such a rich and provocative theatrical experience.