"What I'm about to tell took place near the little town of Alpine, Texas, when I was fresh out of the service and had some money in my pockets. . . . The thing that happened shouldn't have happened and I wish it never did. But there's no denying it and in a way I've been on the lam because of it ever since." So begins the title story of "In an Arid Land," a collection that depicts episodes in the lives of ordinary people facing real problems. Testament to the challenges of everyday life, the stories often revolve around tragic turning points--the loss of a loved one, divorce, retirement, or the pains of growing up and old. Malone's characters are, indeed, often on the lam.