A collection of fantasy stories by Jeffrey Ford (who is not John M. Ford (who wrote (among other things) The Yellow Clearance Black Box Blues), I have to keep reminding myself (oh bummer, John M. Ford is dead!)).

Wonder-ful, imaginative stories. Even the stories that didn't quite work for me have lively conceits, like the son who was sent daily to the quik-E-mart to get hotdogs for his father, and would write abusive messages in mustard on them. And the stories that work are even better, ranging from lightly humorous to spectrally chilly to poignant.