Fiction. Quirky, bittersweet, and darkly funny, Robert Glick laces the psychological realism of family drama with lyric, associative language, and intricate plot structures. A young boy goes on a quest to buy an elephant pendant that he believes will save his parents' marriage. An anarchist, channeling his rage from his father's premature death, starts an underground needle exchange program. Trapped between his alcoholic pharmacist boss and his best friend, who is illegally trafficking Ritalin, a teenager learns empathy through Ms. Pacman and elder care homes. From the suburbs of Los Angeles to the countercultures of the Bay Area, the emotionally powerful, intricately woven stories in TWO CALIFORNIAS explore the unexpected and unorthodox ways we come to terms with everyday tragedies.