Normal, middle-class people deal with the toughness of life during a bad economy in this collection of short fiction. Each story is somehow connected to Conglomorous Technologies, a Maryland defense contractor that suddenly begins downsizing after years of growth and success. The layoffs are a shock to employees from various lifestyles who work together in a common environment as accepted as breathing the same air and drinking the same water. The fear of losing their job is felt by all, and though they have different views on life they also have much in common-and all need income to pay the bills.