Buzzers — Kevin Moffett

In a story from Kevin Moffett's dazzling new collection, "Further Interpretations of Real-Life Events," a young man en route to study in Italy sits on the plane as it prepares for take-off and receives a text message that his ailing father has finally passed away. Overwhelmed and grief-stricken, he finds himself immobile. As Andrew faces a choice between leaving to tend to his mother and continuing to the escape of Italy, pretending the message was too late, Moffett delivers penetrating and brutally honest insight into a moment of paralyzing indecision.