The Maladjusted

Hayes' characters are on the social fringe, such as the mentally challenged narrator of the title story who finds his way through urban life with the aid of his seventy-year-old neighbour and the possibilities inherent in a game of chess. Some obsess privately, such as the protagonist in "The Runner" who becomes neurotically repulsed by the hair follicles on his girlfriend's upper lip, or the proven street ball "cager" of the story "In the Low Post" who stews over his eroding prestige and control on the inner-city basketball court. Edgy, smart, and unpredictable, Derek Hayes' stories shift the narrative voices with such an energetic frequency that readers will want to go back again just to see how he does it.