In the town of Shorter, Missouri, lives are turning -like the big blades of the helicopter visiting the town fora summer festival - some slowly rising, others spinningtoward the ground. Look closely at these people - themysteries and coded messages of life are in the detailsand the mundane, in small decisions and hidden events. Here are nine stories of lives on that single day -a former baseball star who comes back to lead the parade, a woman who drifts between dementia and magic, a localmusician who may have played his final gig, a DJ whotries to come home but has trouble finding the way, acollege girl anxious to leave her roots. Snapshots of lives, all turning, changing, happening - on Whirlybird Day.