A Mask That Makes You Forget Who You Are but Shows Who You Could Be

by Jason Roberts

Story 1 wasn't about a hero's journey, or a villain's downfall. It wasn't about love found or lost, or even a thrilling escape. Story 1 was about a chipped teacup.

Specifically, it was about Bartholomew's chipped teacup. Bartholomew, a retired clockmaker with hands as gnarled as the ancient oak in his garden, cherished that teacup above all else. It wasn't valuable; the floral pattern was faded, the porcelain thin and prone to rattling. The chip, a jagged crescent moon on its rim, was its defining feature. He'd acquired it on his honeymoon, a clumsy drop during a particularly spirited argument about the best way to make crumpets. The argument, he remembered fondly, had ended with a kiss and the sound of cracking porcelain.

144 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 14, 2025

About the author

Jason Roberts is a writer of nonfiction and fiction. His most recent book is Every Living Thing: The Great and Deadly Race to Know All Life. His previous book, A Sense of the World: How a Blind Man Became History’s Greatest Traveler, was a national bestseller and finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. A contributor to McSweeney’s, The Believer, and other publications, he lives in Northern California.