English Folktale. A boy who isn’t very bright doesn’t like the idea of work. He tries several jobs, but always ‘loses’ his pay on the way home. Fortunately, thanks to always following his mother’s advice, he marries a rich girl and, one imagines, never has to work again.
Short Story by Ruskin Bond. A tragic story of man so frightfully disfigured by war that he is afraid to leave his room by day, and confines himself to creeping phantom-like around an aging hotel by night. His two loves in life: his books and music.
Quick Read by Mario Benedetti. A man and woman, each with a serious facial blemish, bond over their shared feeling of social exclusion when others turn away or pretend not to notice them. Their lovemaking later that night takes a curious turn, with both ending up in tears.
Short Story by Juan Rulfo. A farmer has been on the run for thirty-five years after killing a friend for not sharing his pasture during a severe drought. The murdered man’s son, a police colonel, arranges for his capture. The grisly summary execution leaves readers wondering whether justice was served.
Quick Read by Neil Gaiman. A disturbing satire about a world where all animals disappear overnight. Someone comes up with the bright idea of replacing them with babies. Babies are then used for food, to make leather, and for product safety testing. Eventually, all the babies are gone. What next?