Morale, seemingly as low as humanly possible, was again kicked in the proverbial rump when the newest money saving measure was introduced—a limit of five squares of toilet paper per employee per week.

The hard-scrabble farmers were at first dubious about Dr. Jonas Scarburough's "patented weather changing and super seed sprouting machine," but the apparent results, more show business than science, sold them.

The town's only culture revolved around bad poetry and cheap wine, but it was still better than anything in a 100 mile radius.

Her disappearance left a gap, neither good nor bad, in their lives.

He sat drinking in a Spanish bar, La Boca Del Lobo—the wolf's mouth—trying to figure out how to get out of a situation that he couldn't stop comparing to literally being in a beast's maw.

The crystal, conversation and eyes of the pretty girls sparkled that night, convincing the young boy to do whatever it took to make it in high society.

Things built up inside Jervis, so much so that his mind, like a rodent working its way through a complicated maze, finally hit upon the oft-thought-of-but-rarely-pulled-off-faking-of-ones-own-death plan.