"In this collection of short stories, Thomas Allbaugh has created a cast of complex, fully realized characters: Neal, Winky, Phil, and others possess an inherent longing for the transcendent with no trace of sentimentality or predictability. When you walk into the Side Step Bar, where ordinary people discuss the ineffable, you will recognize your co-workers, your neighbors, and yourself. These tales will woo you, you will read and reread, and your rereading will be rewarded. Subtlety is only one of Allbaugh's many superpowers." --Susan Delaney Spear, poet, author of Beyond All Bearing "These searing stories feature characters you'll both love and pity. Allbaugh writes with the sharp vision of a prophet who has seen the edge of the world and come back with a sorrowful yet honest report. If you lend your attention to this book, it will repay you a thousandfold." --John Matthew Fox, author of I Will Shout Your Name "Thomas Allbaugh's richly drawn stories take the reader to places of longing, regret, loneliness, awkwardness, friendship, faith, and love. This is powerful storytelling about people who seem so real that you'll feel you already know them. Told with subtle humor and a vivid sense of place, these stories will stay with you long after you finish them." --Joseph Bentz, author of A Son Comes Home