Category Archives: Great Are The Myths

We are in the patio garden at Tilly’s parents’ house. I arrange to spend the summer in Newport with Cornelia. Her parents will be in Europe, so we’ll have the house to ourselves. She invites everyone to drop in whenever they want. Topper says he might come and see us, if I would like himContinue reading “Chapter 24: A Fool Such As I”

I am surprised when I receive a letter from Bryn Mawr, and it turns out I’ve done much better in my exams and essays than expected. I decide to give college a chance before I determine whether or not I want to drop out.I speak to Tilly, who, for once, is warm and generous withContinue reading “Chapter 23: I’ll Never Stand in Your Way “

“We’ll come off too pedestrian if we stay in college housing,” Tilly informs me.  “We’re adults. We need our freedom now.” I agree, if only to keep the peace. It’s the first term at Bryn Mawr, autumn after our debut into New York society, a debut none of us took seriously, which upset Tilly’s mother.Continue reading “Chapter 22: You May Go to College – You May Go to School “

I rush over to the boy’s new apartment on Alabama, they’ve moved again, as soon as I’m back for the summer of ’53.  The boy isn’t home yet, but would I like to wait? He won’t be long.His mother brings me a cup of coffee, and sits with me at the kitchen table. “Did youContinue reading “Chapter 21: My Happiness”

Gene Tierney is visiting the school. She used to go here. It’s a fancy school. One of Cary Grant’s wives, the one related to Tilly, is an alumna. All the Bouvier Beales, too. Lee was here until last year. She’s Jackie’s sister.I didn’t like Lee much, I can’t quite put my finger on why, justContinue reading “Chapter 20: Till I Waltz Again with You”

“I feel like I’ve outgrown high school,” Tilly pouts at her reflection in the mirror. “I can’t believe we still have two more years.”Cornelia and I roll our eyes.“Honey,” Cornelia says, “you’re sixteen, five foot nine, and a hundred and fifty-five pounds, you have not outgrown high school.”“I just feel like I want to beContinue reading “Chapter 19: Young and Beautiful “

“I have my driver’s licence!” I suddenly remember as we are watching The Ed Sullivan Show, we haven’t even talked about it yet. He shrugs. “Well, I’ve had mine for ages. What’s so special about yours?” He turns to me, and I grin. “I can get a car and drive us around,” I tell him.Continue reading “Chapter 18: Wild at Heart”

“I don’t remember my life before America anymore. Not really,” I tell Miss Mary.  “But dearheart,” she says, “you are still so young.” She thinks for a moment while I look down, trying to summon it, but it doesn’t come. Miss Mary has an idea and fetches an old photo album from the library. “Let’sContinue reading “Chapter 17: Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking”

The boy tells me about his summer job, saying it’s been fun and the folks are real nice. I listen, and imagine what it must be like to have a manual-labouring job like that.  “You gotta let me do it soon,” he says, lying back in my room after we’ve laughed ourselves breathless about something.Continue reading “Chapter 16: My Babe”

It’s the summer when I turn sixteen.I haven’t been home since Christmas, and I haven’t seen very much of the boy since last summer’s tiff. We made up before I went back to school, he accepted my apology and the letter; we even went back to watching movies in the screening room, and to holdingContinue reading “Chapter 15: Home Is Where the Heart Is”