by Bruce Weber
First published 2015
A bitter man from Brooklyn sits in a McDonald's in Nogales, Arizona, expecting nothing but cheap coffee and processed food. Instead, he finds something that cracks open his hardened heart. Across town, a detective stumbles onto clues that unlock a crime that shattered his city decades ago. Meanwhile, a stressed executive meets an old master who teaches him the power of stillness, while a young man confronts debts he can never truly repay. Weber presents twelve interconnected tales where ordinary people face unexpected moments of grace. A burglar in women's clothing becomes friends with his victim. A middle-aged dreamer loses his sailboat but gains something far more valuable. A rookie cop discovers his calling while his veteran partner realizes he chose the wrong profession. Each character believes they understand their world until circumstances force them to see differently. These stories explore how people stumble toward wisdom, often through failure and loss rather than triumph.
Genres: short-stories, drama, literary-fiction, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: interconnected-stories, ordinary-people, unexpected-moments
Setting: Brooklyn, Nogales, Arizona
Period: 21st-century
138 pages · Paperback · CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform