A collection of short stories captures powerful and poignant moments in everyday lives of African American families, friends, and neighbors in the years spanning from the beginning of the Clinton presidency to the eve of Barack Obama's election

Flip lady -- Henry -- Bitch: an etymology of family values -- There he go -- False cognates -- Yarns -- Houston and the blinking what -- Five people who crave sauce -- Night nurses -- Trash -- Crack babies! -- Paulie sparks