Tuesday, July 18, 2006

How would you describe a 19-year-old, who is fashionably chic and thin, puffs on Picayune cigarettes, drowns herself in martinis, a head filled with odd ideas about herself and the world, a party-mad society celebrity? – an innocent Paris Hilton of the 1940s era; that’s Holly Golightly for you. Like her name, she fleets through her life light as a butterfly, never a moment of worry, well, perhaps just one worry – to find a comfortable place like Tiffany’s to call home.

I like Holly. I like unpredictable, complicated, mysterious individuals. They are like Pandora boxes, waiting for the curious to unlock them. It is like delving into the unknown black hole of the mind, untangling the webs of confusion and finally reaching out to unravel the yarns that separate reality from imaginary. I like doing that. I feel triumphant if I managed to break down the wall of mystery. Because understanding other people helps me understand myself.

I am not like Holly. I occasionally imagine tragic thoughts about myself and others and become emotionally affected by it. I become the patient/psychiatrist. I cry and console myself at the same time to snap out of it. Call me a drama queen, if you want. I like that. Sometimes, all these make-believe thoughts do cross over to the boundaries of reality. How unavoidably tragic.

Maybe I am a little like Holly. I like Tiffany’s. I like the idea of perfectionism and diamonds are just that; always checked for quality, precisely cut and weighed for its carats before being put on display. Diamonds don’t rust. Diamonds are pretty. Diamonds are blindingly sparkly. But the best diamonds I like are not sold in Tiffany’s. Just bring out the mat on a cool night, away from the city lights and look up. Did someone just breathe a sigh of relief?

I like Capote’s writing style – simple. This is my first time reading his works. I have to admit that I didn’t know it was him who wrote this classic until the 2005 movie release, Capote that caught my eye. I would like to explore his other works sometime soon. This book contains three other short stories that are equally engaging and witty. I rate this book 5 out 5 stars.

10:37 PM 2 comments hmm?