John Lack

In "Genes Skunks and Heroes," Allen Hayes ponders the enormity of the question, "What has to happen for people to treat each other better?" Follow his story, as an incredible, yet plausible, series of events conspire to place him in the position to deliver an incredible gift that will shape the course of mankind. From his initial brush with mortality, Allen Hayes adopted the unsupportable belief that he would be the first person to escape the inevitability of death. A poorly founded conviction for sure, but more a matter-of-fact opinion than a fanatical obsession. A bizarre series of events combine to deliver him to the doorstep of a life altering decision. The young man is faced with a choice to knowingly put his own life in mortal peril to forever change the path of humanity for the better. The trials of his ordeal imbue him with an unparalleled perspective. His unique viewpoint provides a platform for him to consider the question; What has to happen for people to treat each other better? The difference between the enabling of a quality life and the mere duration of a lifetime, frames the internal conflict, only he can resolve.

A Tale of Two Richards, living two hundred years apart. Both are selected to take the helm of a secretive unnamed enterprise. One man is deceived into a lifetime of service. The other surrenders rather than facing a life of loneliness and uncertainty. One serves the living by returning the unclaimed wealth of lost and detached family members. The other serves the deceased by sharing their lost thoughts and dreams with the living. The product of different eras, they share the same challenges and face the same threats. One succeeds by overcoming the harsh realities of destiny. The other overcomes insurmountable loss by forgiving his detractors and pursuing his fate. Both men secretly make immeasurable contributions to the world around them. In the process they selflessly stay true to their purpose, avoiding the materialistic trappings of being, without question, the richest and most influential men ever to walk the planet.

Brian Evans is born with a special gift. The priceless endowment comes for free. Soon he enters a world dominated by scarcity. The future politician is introduced to the unyielding economic forces of supply and demand. The inexorable powers, facilitated by a scarcity shaped world, are center stage in this humorous economics oriented parable. Brian learns the painful lesson that scarcity is everywhere. The influence of scarceness cannot be circumvented, at least not in the long run. Then again, everyone knows what economists and non-economists alike say about the long run.

The Context of My Life is a comedic love story frozen in time by a scantily supported, overreaching judicial gag order. Thirty-five years later, John Davis is free to narrate a tale about a boy who meets a girl and falls in love. John is a likeable, well-meaning, straight-arrow college student with a tendency to self-destruct for reasons that he readily identifies as his shortcomings. His shortcomings are; a lack of patience, sarcastic wit, poor organizational skills, and the knack for saying the wrong thing for incredibly obscure reasons. He has a strong desire to stay simple and focused in order to excel in the important areas of his life. The timetable for John's emotional growth and maturity shifts into overdrive upon leaving the relative safety of his upstate New York home. With his entry into the brave new world of college life, he is faced with the complexities of navigating communal living, befriending a gay roommate, and grasping the depths of evil personified. The bulk of the evidence will lead to the verdict that John handles each challenge and not only survives but thrives on his often potholed journey to adulthood. John's simple observation that "you can't tell the impact you are having on others until you take a good look at yourself" is a harbinger of the growth and understanding that is stirring and will eventually reveal itself.