Something Better Than This
Gaitskill's first published short story, in which a young female street merchant endures an unwanted proposition.
"Susan has been waiting for something better than this for years now. She hasn't a clue as to what this better destiny might be, although she can picture herself writing caustic bestsellers, or hosting talk shows, or something, you know. But this will have to happen later because now she has this stuff to sell. "