These eleven stories by the Irish poet, critic, and novelist Fred Johnston generally explore the concept of the internal exile, the outsider in contemporary society. These are stories about bright human lights that failed, the conflict between what we wish for and what we end up with: a young woman breaks down during a visit to Spain, a man who sees himself as a leader of men runs away toward an embarrassing encounter with the law, and a well-to-do housewife confronts the vacuum at the center of her idyllic marriage.