bitches in prose

Last night, I finished the first section of "Valley of the Dolls." I stayed up way too late, but I had to know what happened. Fortunately, there is more to the story in another Anne section, but tonight I'll be starting on Jennifer. There was a lot of suspense to keep me awake: Anne breaking up with Allen, Helen revealing herself to be a cold-hearted bitch, Anne and Lyon discussing marriage. Even though things seem to be good between the new lovebirds, I still have that suspicion that something is going to ruin it. Maybe it was the shameful desperation Anne revealed with Lyon.

"No, I was wrong. I'll never put anything before you again. Helen wasn't worth it. No one is worth it. Oh, Lyon, I love you so much."
"I love you, Anne."
"You do! Oh, Lyon, do you really?" She clung to him even harder.
He kissed the top of her head. "Really, really," he said lightly. But when she looked at him she knew he meant it. And once again she told herself she could never be as happy as she was this moment. (173-4)

It's just that the question is still there: When Anne rationalizes her love, is she only lying to herself?

She wondered whether Lyon felt the same intimacy. He couldn't. So many girls had probably seen him stand in his shorts while he shaved. ... She quickly pushed the thought from her mind. No girl had felt what she was feeling, and that made the difference. Nothing was going to ruin the most wonderful day of her life! (145)

Because Helen could still be right: "You don't think just because he's banging you he's gonna marry you, do you?" (166)

After all, as Anne admits, she's known Lyon for only a short time, and she doesn't know who "Elizabeth" is. The money issues that come up are interesting, too. What will become of the 10 karats in the safe-deposit box? I'm still waiting for the trash, so I'm hoping it will pay for cocaine.

I also have to mention, if only to give Anne back a little credibility, that her break-up with Allen was awesome. I almost felt bad for him, because even though Anne never told him she loved him (in fact, she told him repeatedly that she did not love him and did not want to marry him), she still wore the ring and went on dates with him. But unless he has the fattest head of any person on Earth, he shouldn't be surprised that she found someone else. She really showed some strength just by breaking it off with Allen so abruptly, although one might argue she could at least have done it in person, rather than over the phone. But you can also see why Allen was mad, and he said some pretty hurtful things, too.

"Keep it! You bitch ... I don't need the ring. I can buy a lot of them. But you're going to need it. It's very hockable. Or better yet, wear it! Let it cut into your finger every time some guy screws you like you've screwed me. I have a hunch Lyon Burke will be the first!" (160)

Just a fabulously written scene, all around. Susann is great at effecting empathy.

• Torch song = from "carry a torch," an obscure notion from Broadway slang (1927) referring to a song about suffering unrequited love
• Plaintive = expressing sorrow or melancholy, mournful

In other news, I bought a couple of books from the Goodwill today. The paperback of "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" was 59 cents, and the hardback of "The Da Vinci Code" was 99 cents, so I couldn't pass up either of them. When the latter first came out in movie form, I was quite against it because I figured I was supposed to be. As time has passed and I've realized that I can read it without feeling like I'm supporting the theory of Jesus married to the Magdalene, I've gotten curious. So we'll add that to the list, too.