Comets by Joseph Allen Costa is a collage of vignettes about Roberto. Roberto is a typical teenage son of a hard-working, small business owner. He's a relatable character. Whether Costa's depiction of Italian and Cuban workers in Ybor City is accuarate, I cannot judge. But it is based on his own lived experience and seems accurate. Roberto matures, and that maturing process is raw, difficult, but authentic. Most readers won't agree with his decisions or the decisions of the other characters. But would we do better? I believe that's part of the point: every decision we make does matter for the rest of our lives, whether for good or evil. We cannot possibly know how our decisions today will impact tomorrow or years from now. That means we need to be wise and careful about our decisions and not make rash decisions based on emotions, circumstances, or in reaction to the actions and words of others. We need a greater Wisdom than we can find in ourselves. The greatest hope of all in human life has to be in Someone Higher and Greater than we are. Maybe that's why we find Roberto looking to the comets at one point in the story: there must be more than just us and this life. This is a thoughtful and compelling compilation.