Bar Talk presents a litany of colorful personalities who meet at a bar. Some of the bar encounters are sketchy and superficial, while others provide depth about personal matters as well as issues affecting the general human condition. Many of the story's characters are amusing, some are insightful, and a few others are overwhelmed by their circumstances. They include Appalachian playboys and brokenhearted women. The conversations include aimless dialogue as well as chatter about political affairs. The narrative eventually focuses on one person who is riddled by fear and paranoia. This individual believes that years earlier he provoked a felon, who is now pursuing him across the country. This single trauma permeates and virtually controls his entire life. Bar Talk has a breezy quality and is laced with humor.