On Amy Hempel xi
Reasons to Live
In a Tub 3
Tonight Is a Favor to Holly 5
Celia Is Back 13
Nashville Gone to Ashes 17
San Francisco 27
In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson Is Buried 29
Beg, Sl Tog, Inc, Cont, Rep 41
Going 53
Pool Night 57
Three Popes Walk into a Bar 63
The Man in Bogota 73
When It's Human Instead of When It's Dog 75
Why I'm Here 81
Breathing Jesus 85
Today Will Be a Quiet Day 89
At the Gates of the Animal Kingdom
Daylight Come 101
The Harvest 103
The Most Girl Part of You 111
Rapture of the Deep 123
Du Jour 129
Murder 133
The Day I Had Everything 139
To Those of You Who Missed Your Connecting Flights Out of O'Hare 149
And Lead Us Not into Penn Station 153
In the Animal Shelter 157
At the Gates of the Animal Kingdom 159
The Lady Will Have the Slug Louie 169
Under No Moon 171
The Center 177
Tom-Rock Through the Eels 181
The Rest of God 191
Tumble Home
Weekend 199
Church Cancels Cow 201
The Children's Party 203
Sportsman 209
Housewife 221
The Annex 223
The New Lodger 229
Tumble Home 233
Notes 302
The Dog of the Marriage
Beach Town 305
Jesus Is Waiting 309
The Uninvited 317
Reference #388475848-5 337
What Were the White Things? 343
The Dog of the Marriage 347
The Afterlife 367
Memoir 373
Offertory 375
Notes 404