The soft voice of the serpent -- The amateurs -- Six feet of the country -- Face from Atlantis -- Which new era would that be? -- The smell of death and flowers -- Not for publication -- Through time and distance -- A chip of glass ruby -- Some Monday for sure -- Friday's footprint -- The bridegroom -- Livingstone's companions -- Why haven't you written? -- Open house -- A meeting in space -- Rain-queen -- Town and country lovers -- A soldier's embrace -- For dear life -- Oral history -- A lion on the freeway -- At the rendezvous of victory -- Letter from his father -- Something out there -- Once upon a time -- The moment before the gun went off -- The ultimate safari -- A find -- Loot -- The generation gap -- Look-alikes -- The diamond mine -- Tape measure -- Dreaming of the dead -- Beethoven was one-sixteenth black -- Parking tax -- Second coming.

A collection of short fictional works offers insight into the author's use of rich language to convey themes ranging from politics and sexuality to race and family life, in a volume that includes such pieces as "Friday's Footprint" and "Something Out There."