Crow's Gift and Other Tales

When seeking gifts from others, the greatest gift is often a connection. A lonely fourth grader finds an unlikely friendship with a murder of crows. A college student tries, against all odds, to meet her favorite author. A commuter sees a stranger every day on her way to work. And a man who lives alone in the woods seeks a connection with anyone, so long as they're another body to hold.

The greatest gifts, however, don't always mean the greatest rewards. The fourth grader learns that a crow’s idea of loyalty may challenge her own. The college student learns that in a battle between herself and fate, neither may be the victor. The commuter never learns her new friend’s name, which may be a gift in itself. The man in the woods sees any connection as a reward — though not necessarily for those he seeks.

Connections with others keep us afloat, in varying degrees and at varying costs. As the man in the woods so aptly says, "We all want closeness and companionship. Some of us just gain that by burying people in the floorboards."

Sonora Taylor is the author of "The Crow's Gift and Other Tales," a collection of short stories; and the novel "Please Give." She lives in Arlington, Virginia, with her husband. Visit her online at sonorawrites.com.