Playgrounds and Battlegrounds

Four novellas:

1) Nighttime Euphoria and the Field of Reeds, or One Can Get Away with What One Dares

Perry and his new friend Akila (met in Puerto Rico and visiting from Egypt) are awaiting a cab shortly before midnight. Far from deterred by the fact he's due at work the following day, Perry feels duty-bound to ensure Akila's first New York City night is highly adventurous. Nor will Perry be dreaming up an excuse to avoid the office: he's looking forward to reporting to work riding the adrenaline of all-night escapades. Many supposedly serious situations can be turned into games.

2) Playgrounds and Battlegrounds

Randomly wandering New York City's streets at night-emotionally flung hither and thither, hungering for he's unsure what-Steve finds himself doing things he never imagined himself capable of, thrilling to every moment. Some of his adventures are elevating, some frightening, others a blur of the two.

3) Idleness And Unrest

Idleness at the advertising agency leads to unrest, so Alex enjoys hooking up with his unhappily married friend, Hilaria, on company time. The trick's to score a job that yields a great deal of fulfilling downtime and refuse to be robbed of it via promotion. Playacting and technology facilitate success-bamboozling administration's just plain wholesome healthy fun.

4) Excitation and Oblivion, or Kaleidoscopic San Juan

Adrenaline surges upon arrival pre-dawn in Puerto Rico at onset of a Labor Day weekend, regardless of lack of sleep. High surf, dancing under the stars, random encounters in San Juan's post-midnight streets. Vacations are an opportunity to be swept into personality-altering adventures, become someone else.