Small Favors

Set in a variety of locales, from rural homes to island resorts, many of these 18 stories deal with gay awakenings. The 15-year-old hero of ``International Male,'' for example, discovers his sexual identity when he goes to live with his gay uncle. In ``Peggy Hagerman's Bikini,'' a boy helps his best friend dress up in stolen women's clothing, only to find the masquerade spinning wildly out of control. One of the strongest selections is ``High Street,'' a pot-induced tale of unrequited passion among three college friends: Dana lusts for her gay friend, Bennie, who in turn yearns for his straight-acting friend, Al. Though several characters appear in more than one story, few traits link them; at times they seem to share only the same name. Mayes often forsakes character development to concentrate on elaborate plots and situations, though only the final story, ``Saint Peter Cut to Pieces,'' where the gardener and the yard boy run off blissfully together from the estate where they work, seems to be wildly contrived. Occasionally, the material transcends the author's lean, flat style: the title character in the witty ``Lola Gets,'' a drag queen, warmly tells her new roommate, a male stripper, ``If you got a boyfriend, you have him over for dinner, just like everyone else does.'' (Sept.)