My thesis submission for the MFA program in creative writing consists of five stories: "The Takeover," "First Proof," "Stunned," "Moving," and "Escape From Pittsburgh." "The Takeover" describes a moment in a father's life as he struggles to care for his estranged son after his wife's death. "First Proof" is the journey of an adolescent as he is grappling with both becoming an adult and memories of his father. "Stunned," shows a woman descending into mental illness and doubts about her own reality. "Moving" tells the story of a newly homeless man and his efforts to leave Washington for Boston, raising money by drumming in the streets. "Escape From Pittsburgh," describes a young journalist and his inability to appreciate the stories around him, instead escaping into fantasy. The stories address loss and contradictions between what is and what is perceived.