The themes, settings, characters, and plots of these four stories are wide-ranging. The only connection they have is that the protagonist of each story attempts to become something better than he initially finds himself being. The stories are sometimes reflective, sometimes made up and always personal for me. My hope is that the reader of this small legacy to literature makes a connection that instills a sense of optimism, a faith in themselves that the world they live in can be changed for the better.