Jellyfish

Deep dives into the human character underlie Mark McCaig'sfast-read glimpses of what at first blush would seem momentaryabsurdities. There's Pinkii, who became deeply obsessed with her littletoes and the fifth phalanges of all creatures. The stamp collector deeplytroubled by the busyness of the USPS modern-day art, preferring thestately look that adorned envelopes decades in the past. The facialrecognition practitioner who dispensed immediate names, amongthem Jellyfish, to a cousin, and Weasel, a lawyer on her elevator.McCaig, a pioneering educator, presents appealing stories you canknock out any time, perhaps when you're waiting for somebody, or something. On hold with your doctor? His rapid-read takes, steeped in technology, at times relate uncomfortable truths.In Upgrade, a 200-word rapier treatment of the cell-phoneera, he contrasts the gleeful girl with her new prize at a cellphone store with the Asian girl disassembling trade-ins at apoisonous e-waste dump under the leering eyes of her oppressor.In the best tradition of flash fiction, Jellyfish illuminates pains, excessesand charming realities in the human condition-all in a flash.