Something About Ann

Something About Ann, a historical fiction novella, is accompanied by twelve interconnected short stories that follow a group of soldiers who faced traumatic experiences in Vietnam, as depicted in the novel A Long Way Back. Although they managed to remain close after returning to the States, violence and turmoil continue to haunt the soldiers as they try to normalize their lives, sometimes depending on the help of each other or relying on the skills they acquired in combat. In the novella Something About Ann, a black Vietnam veteran and a Vietnamese woman fall in love in Cleveland, Ohio, not knowing they were once combatants. In the story, Lucky, veteran Raphael 'Lucky' Holland's luck runs out when he tries to rob a stranger whose past is darker than his. In a Sound Decision, Marcus Glover restrains from fighting a verbal abuser because of a prior confrontation that still haunts him.In the story, The Education of Xavier Warfield, Xavier, a veteran and promising pool hustler, finds the most important life lessons aren't learned in the pool room when he falls for a lady with a questionable past. With One Exception presents an encounter that begins on shaky terms between a black militant vet, Erving Robinson, and Harland Conrad, a white Vietnam veteran. However, the relationship shifts when Robinson helps Conrad fight his personal demons. The Gift finds Myron Turner, a recluse and an empath, confronted by an older empath when he tries to hide his abilities. Leroy Casper is enjoying The Good Life when his past associations barge into his life, shattering his peace and causing him to make drastic decisions. In The Tell, Elgin learns that a 'tell' applies not only to poker but to life- too late.A disbarred lawyer, Ralph Gaines, is down on his luck in The Best Seat In the House when a bully commandeers his reserved seat in a bar. The elderly Gaines snaps, resolving the seat issue as well as a personal problem. The Last Time I Saw Willie is a coming-of-age account of a young middle-class African American who learns the importance of dedication and persistence when he meets Willie Stinson, an orphan.As an orphan, Willie Stinson's life is controlled by outside forces. As an adult, he finds others still dictate his future because of an incident that threatens himself and his family in Recovery.A Good Day To Be A Man demonstrates that confrontation is not necessarily the path to manhood. In Slow Songs, Lieutenant Raymond Williams faces his worst fear in Vietnam, which has nothing to do with his own welfare.