I took this picture at Columbus Circle last summer. My favorite figure is the guy in the upper right-hand corner, looking at his watch. But I also like that fourth guy, standing frontally, who is gesturing and dominating their conversation…the leader.
If you asked watch-guy, who looks so pissed-off, to tell you about his dominant friend, you’d have the basis for a good short story.
That’s what happens in ‘Christie’, the overture in Caitlin Macy’srequired reading collection of short stories, Spoiled. Christie’s girlfriend gives you the scoop and boy, is she ever a bitch. But maybe not…she is just speaking realistically for her status-obssessed group, wealthy young people from Greenwich or with summer homes in Edgartown that their families own, not rent, mind you…who are largely through with competitive dating and are down to playing the marriage game.
The friend’s description of Christie’s wedding reception is choice, with Christie described as looking like she’s made up for an ice-skating competition and with her parents ordered not to talk, just make obscure guttural sounds in response to questions, so they won’t embarrass the bride.
But Caitlin Macy hits the ball out of the park in her use of first person narrative which is, by nature, a limited POV. Caitlin subtly shifts the quality of information that you are getting about Christie. The friend grudgingly admits that the reception is at the Pierre, that the champagne is superior and that her groom, an East German immigrant, may have a title in the family…although she makes fun of that possibility by saving Christie’s Christmas cards, which now are embossed with a family crest, so she can show them to friends and make fun of Christie’s “ridiculous” pretensions.
Caitlin scores again by having the friend drop Christie…she never calls her back to arrange a lunch date…in order…this is great stuff…”to trim the fat from her life.”
You will have to read ‘Christie’ to find out how this friendship between the friend and Christie finally turns out. If friendship tells us who we are then the four Three Guys are in fine shape. And J’s, I promise, I will never say you looked like you were made up for an ice-skating competition at your weddings or that your families had to mortgage the trailer to pay for the reception. Mortgage the trailer…now that’s what I’d call bitchy.
-DH
Recent Comments