Hot Candy and Other Stories

A young man envisions an open avenue to early career success only to see it closed by authority. A retiree discovers that, for reasons unclear, each of the key relationships in his life has soured. An early love reappears to a widower in an unexpected encounter. A betrayal has unexpected results. Despite talent, high energy, and commitment, a young man's plans for a long career in the classroom is derailed. In the desert, a businessman has a revelation. A good man is falsely accused and responds to humiliation. Twenty years after he disappeared, an old friend resurfaces with a story to tell. . This collection, undertaken in late life, attempts to examine some of life's mysteries: how early dreams and expectations may go awry; relationships may not be what they seem; evil appears at any time and in many guises; love is not easily defined, explained, or sustained.