Richard Bustetter

Chickens, A Pony, and Swans Richard Bustetter

From an eleven-year-old boy exploring the world around him to an elderly widower contemplating life without his better half, the protagonists of Richard Bustetter's ten poignant short stories are facing important moments in their lives and the uncertainties of their futures.

In the first story of Chickens, a Pony, and Swans, young Eddie forms a relationship with his two neighbors and tries to keep watch over his mother's chickens. Simple moments teach him the importance of responsibility and the ordinary tragedies of everyday life.

In another story, Mr. Stinson looks back on his wife's untimely death. While visiting her grave he is confronted by the cemetery's security guard, and a single significant swan.

Between these two stories are eight others, featuring college students, cowboys, nuclear workers, ranchers, and lovers. Many of Bustetter's stories take place near his hometown of Yakima, Washington. One tale begins as a bird hunting trip made east of Mount Adams, a dormant volcano southwest of Yakima. Another takes place on a ranch in Eastern Oregon. The natural beauty and dangers of Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia both inspire and frighten his protagonists during their journeys of self-discovery.