Rick Sanford’s compelling story, The Sudden Flight of Mr. Banks, begins as a rather gloomy tale of a mysterious Englishman (we never learn his given name) whose life seems to be stuck in a unchanging pattern. Sanford's story is beautifully written — detailed and expressive. We are drawn to Mr. Banks’ life from the beginning, and we continue to read because we need to know how his story ends. Finally, Mr. Banks learns that love is the path — the “sudden flight” that leads him away from his miserable existence to one that might bring happiness. He is not disappointed, and neither is the reader.