This is West Texas, you just can’t fail the star quarterback.

(from Male of the Species)

Like many of the stories in Alex Mindt’s collection, the title track is a cinematic, classicky rumination on manhood as a concept. The unwritten rules are all but written out, especially in this one where the husband seems to be too smart and/or idealistic for the real world. And the real world is harsh, what with all the irrational pressures and unfaithfulnesses and so on. But you have to stay tuned because sometimes the guy will surprise you.