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Although Pat wants to pursue an English degree, his parents persuade him to choose accounting as a major as they believe it will lead to a financially stable future. While attending college, Pat and his roommate enjoy a shared heritage and become lifelong friends. Pat follows the advice of his college advisor and gets a part-time job at a local grocery store. When Pat graduates, he believes he can move into the store’s accounting department and begin a solid career. However, things don’t go as planned. Pat gets a promotion to full-time but doesn’t get the position or the compensation he expected. His father is disappointed in this and feels that Pat is letting others take advantage of him. Pat’s employer doesn’t allow him to work a second job, and Pat is feeling a financial burden. Pat is eventually taken in by the slick talk of a group running a shady, pyramid-scheme-type business. In a short time, the pieces of Pat’s life unravel.
Brooks' short fiction deals with the false hopes and dashed dreams that can sometimes affect a recent college graduate. The life once dreamed about upon completing a college degree can sometimes lead to disillusionment when the job market is tough, and breaks are hard to come by. Brooks’ writing is crisp, clean, and more focused on pacing than lengthy descriptions. This work is grounded in the everyday. Its concerns are the trials and struggles common to most young professionals as they try to navigate their path in the workplace. The dialogue is stilted at times, and there is not a lot of tension in the story. However, this work will likely appeal to those who have been through similar experiences and felt a little lost as they began to find their place in their chosen profession.