In this debut collection of short stories, Rita Buckley writing as Charles Maxwell, creates characters that are impeccably rendered, and, for the most part, entirely human. In Mr. Chiardi, a class of oddly precocious children launches their increasingly frustrated teacher into space. In The Reconciliation, an estranged husband and wife are brought together by their handsome, well-educated pet, a talking German shepherd named Hunter. In Fresh Fruit, Dr. von Bent is a psychiatrist with a few twists in his own psyche. His colleagues have only slightly more sanity than the patients who spend months in the waiting room seeking their help. In Time for College, Junior has hair on his back and a yen for action. It's time for him to choose a college, but where he goes and how he makes his decision will leave you laughing out loud. Mr. Chiardi & Other Stories is tautly written and honed to a clarity that can only be achieved by years of studied craftsmanship. The stories in this book are short, quick trips into the funny, quirky world of a writer of great promise. Enjoy.