Gonzo Garza reclines in his bed, watching the storm rage outside. The rain falls in heavy curtains, obscuring his view of the Capitol’s pink dome.   Tori Mangonel sits naked on the other side of the bed, facing the wall.  Gonzo stares at her back.   “Where’s your car?” he asks.   Mangonel ignores him… Read More

“Intelligent life – while rare – is always growing and dying across the universe. But, it takes a long time for intelligent life to evolve, and none of the universe’s civilizations have ever existed at the right time and place to receive communications from the other civilizations. Just as a handful of sailors clinging to… Read More

“I’m gonna help you guys out,” Gonzo Garza types. He is responding to a message requesting the Speaker’s financial assistance for a long-shot political project in West Texas. “Go see Trent Thompson in Midland, and follow up with me after you talk to him.”   After he sends his response, Gonzo continues reviewing messages that… Read More

James Carlos Cates flips through a recent edition of South Texas Catholic while he waits for Bishop Muñoz to return from the bathroom.   The magazine, which is published by the Catholic Diocese of Corpus Christi, includes an article about the Helping Hands Beach Restoration Project – an IRS-recognized Public Service Organization founded by Cates… Read More