What would you do if you were awakened in a hospital bed by a spirit talking in your head that no one else could hear? What if you were only eleven years old and that spirit promised to guide you through life's hardships and lead you to greatness? Would you think you were going insane, or would you still be innocent enough to listen to that voice? That's the dilemma facing sixth-grader Jack Bucher after a nearly fatal auto accident. The year is 1970. Jack decides to listen to Zeph, his spirit mentor. Then he discovers he has a bigger problem. His family is transferred from the tiny town of Salem, Michigan, to Mexico City. Second Chance is the initial saga of Jack's trials and adventures while growing up in a foreign country filled with corruption and the hatred of Americans-where the kidnapping and murdering of foreigners is a recreational sport. It's the tale of a young man learning to cope in a new school, make new friends, while being bullied by other students, teachers, and his own father. It's also the story of a crumbling family struggling to survive as a unit in the harshness of an alien environment. Yet Zeph is always there guiding Jack through his battles and teenage frustrations. He teaches Jack how to conquer his fears and strive for his goals. He opens Jack's eyes through "visitations" to previous lives and possible futures. Zeph helps Jack not waste his second chance at life.