Summary

In "The Pony Bar, Oakland," the narrator describes her favorite sounds. One of them is "the sound of a perfect pool break" (196). Some sounds and places are comforting, while others make the narrator feel alien. She recalls those associated with the Pony Bar.

In "Daughters," the narrator describes her inability to maintain focus "for longer than five minutes" (197). She considers all of the people she sees on the bus. She considers her job "Working for a doctor" (198). She used to be able "to see people as animals" (199). Recently, she has become more emotionally invested in patients, as in the case of Riva Chirenko's daughter. She desperately hopes that the girl will take care of herself.

In "Rainy Day," an addict describes the hardest parts of getting sober. They think alcoholics are smarter than most people. They have read...