When people learn that I am from Pleasantville, they usually think of the movie Pleasantville, which has nothing to do with my Pleasantville. My Pleasantville really didn’t have an idyllic phase. I had fun, sure, but that fun came at a price. In many ways, I am still paying. But it’s my home. Where I am from. My identity. This collection of short stories and poems will take you on a journey into the insane hilarity and dark recesses of my growing up in a place called Pleasantville. Some of the stories are hard to take. You will encounter sex, alcohol, crime, and violence. But you will also dance, meet some interesting characters, and learn a thing or two about the Garden State. These yarns and poesies are sure to tug at your heart and scare the daylights out of you. So, buckle up! The ride will get rough.