Baptists at Our Barbecue — Robert F. Smith

At age twenty-five, Tartan Jones has seen little of the world outside of Utah - and nothing by way of an eternal mate. Frustrated, and still single, Tartan makes a desperate bid to change his life and luck by accepting the first transfer that comes along at work. Fate lands him in a small town affectionately nicknamed Longwinded (pop. 558), located deep in the mountains, somewhere in the American Southwest. Longwinded is home to not only some colorful personalities but also an equal number of Mormons and Baptists. Tartan's arrival breaks the tie and intensifies a feud that has existed for years between zealots on both sides of the argument. Suspicions really fly when someone hauls off half the double-wide trailer that has served as the Mormons' chapel. To make things worse, likely marriage prospects remain in short supply. Baptists at Our Barbecue is a story for the ages, a reminder that life is a barbecue to which God has invited all of us. Whom we sit by or pass the salt to is up to us. Bon appetit!