An elderly dying woman is taken surfing by her carer. A young Australian traveller receives a marriage proposal at an oasis in Algeria. Disarming a violent adult student inspires a teacher to leave her abusive husband. A sixty-something grandmother-to-be rejoices in her first one-night stand. The characters in this collection of thirty-one stories kick over the rock of life's disappointments and discover freedom, joy, love, laughter and well-satisfied lust.