Based in the author’s experiences as a professional recorder player, the stories of this collection not only correspond to the finger holes of the instrument – the music referenced within echoes the emotions and circumstances of each narrative. Just as finger holes are absences which are essential to the production of melody, so the absences hidden away in the lives of these characters are essential components of their persons. Covering ground ranging from technical exercises, schoolyard bullying, and memory, to the personal legacy of the 228 Incident, these stories use music to link past and present, reconnect the living and the deceased, and even provide glimpses of the future.