The Indestructible Man

Truly indestructible, that is, for Romulus variously dives from heights and allows pianos to be dropped on his head. Thus is set the conflict in the title story. The other stories follow suit, with each character confronting or enacting something fabulously unbelievable. After his wife’s death, for example, Henry wants to catapult himself to the moon with the help of his neighbors. He drives his pickup into a mysterious cloud of dust after visiting a bar and is forever spiritually changed–much to the alarm of at least one friend. Young Adam builds a radio that can communicate with aliens, convincing his father that they are orbiting behind the moon–while the unconvinced mother threatens to cut visitation rights for her ex-husband. In another story a teacher who has narrowly missed being murdered at a convenience store while buying ice cream for his pregnant wife decides he must travel back in time to prevent the needless deaths that did occur. What Jablonsky does in each story is create one given oddity that twists characters and plot. And what he neatly accomplishes by each story’s end is to return that given oddity to earth in a disarming manner that affirms both everyday existence and hope. His efforts make for an absolutely charming first story collection commenting upon what it means to be human.