Egan lives by his own life axiom, which he calls Egan's Law. If he thinks or speaks disparagingly about a person he sees in public, he will find that person sharing his personal space. While attending a lecture by a renowned spiritual teacher, Egan spots a disheveled, surly man whom he dubs Ichabod. The reverberations of transgressing Egan's Law bring harrowing results.
Alan volunteers to attend to a mute old man with tongue cancer. Inspired by the loss of his sister to leukemia, Alan vows to give Picky Walker comfort and consolation. Discouraged by the bleakness of Picky's life and alarmed by the news that Picky is an ex-con, Alan struggles to find compassion. His ambivalence leads to devastating feelings of failing to be there for Picky.
Kevin returns to his car after a high school forensics tournament to find a giant locust sitting on the dashboard. After attempts to extricate it, Kevin drives home and tells his father that he can't remove the bug. His father is not impressed by Kevin's cowardice. Irate, Kevin's father tosses out the grasshopper. When his father moves menacingly toward the insect, Kevin steps in front of him.
Miranda drives to meet her deadbeat ex-husband after eight years of no word. She plans to tell him all that she has felt about his betrayal. When she faces him across the coffeeshop table, he stops her in her tracks by what he tells her.
Michael goes with his friend, Danny, on a daybreak mission. They are going to pick up Danny's rifle from Phillip Pfeiffer. On their way back, Danny aims the gun at Michael but shoots himself in the foot instead. It is the start of Michael's decision to end the friendship and take his destiny into his own hands.
Angela's odd cousin, Kurt, puts the trick in Trick or Treat by taking her to collect candy in July. As she goes from house to house, without disguise, she dances, hops and mugs her way into a bag of candy. When she wants to go home, Kurt refuses. He insists that she finish the block. When he abandons her, Angela finds her way home and a new self.
Sandy breaks a neighbor's window with a water balloon. He lies to his mother and tells her that he heard the neighborhood bully outside his window. The bully threatens to lie Sandy down like a dog. Friendly intervention saves Sandy, but not from his mother's chagrin and disappointment.
Hosting a family reunion of sorts, Lucas confronts his abusive Uncle Dimka and Aunt Rosa. Lucas, his priest brother, Alex, and Dimka and Rosa's son, Danilo, join in the fracas. The proceedings go off track when Danilo pulls a gun and orders Lucas and Alex to leave.
Ferris and his friend, Earl, hitch a ride outside of Mesquite, Nevada to Las Vegas. The driver, Tryg, and his girlfriend, Labelle, are looking for some fun on their way to L.A., and they choose Ferris and Earl. Ferris sits next to Labelle on the front seat and fantasizes while Tryg talks smack. On the Strip in Vegas, Ferris and Earl asked to be dropped off and that's where the fun begins.
Short Short Story
A woman leaves a message on Kurt's answer machine, sobbing that he pursued her on the phone, made a date to come over to her place for a drink, and took off the second he saw her.
Novellas
Precocious teen, Julian, helps his mother retrieve a mysterious and possessed ancient Mayan mirror from the hands of his greedy estranged father.
Kevin Milan tries to do what is right when his father has an affair with Kevin's best friend's neighbor. Kevin goes straight at the woman to drive her out. His strategy backfires, leaving him the one looking in.
Short Moon Poems
Short moon poems celebrating the moment
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