A collection of nine poems and four short stories. The poems confront love, romance and the human condition in the modern world. The short story "Blonde" presents the conflicted desires and doubts of a young, mismatched couple attempting to escape themselves during one wild night. The short story "Chlorine" captures the moment when love, patience and desire find each other under the summer sun at a Midwestern public pool. "Bartender" examines lust, regret and the memories of youth while "Patriot" is a thriller that questions motives and patriotism.