The Holy League of Rudy by Bruce Morganti

The Holy League of Rudy is a strange, mixed bag … California, the late 1970s: Tall and built like linguini, Bobby "Bones" Braziano is an affable, mellowing influence on his wise-cracking, socially low-end friends. Calling themselves the Holy League of Rudy, they are a pack of kooks and rowdies whose creative knack for finding trouble is an endless source of pride. Bones’ cheerleader girlfriend, a child of privilege and ambition, refuses to consider a future with Bones unless he leaves his humble roots and madcap friends behind. With college looking like death by boredom, Bones volunteers for the Cold War, hoping he can see the world and be all that he can be. Plopped down in a Kansas missile silo, he finds all he can be is, well, nothing. A tragedy involving his father and a night spent with a phantom from his past combine to force the truth on Bones: He’s no soldier, and his cheerleader’s "to do" list now includes men of her own kind. Just as he feels beaten and resigned, a horrific missile disaster sets Bones on a quest to recover his sanity. He returns to California and a wild reunion with friends, enemies, and the woman he thought he loved. The truths he discovers about himself and the ghosts that haunt his dreams will leave you laughing, crying, and craving further exploits of Bones and company!