Page 90 of Only Lovers in the Building

Beverly: It’s hard to begrudge the filmmakers. They gave us Audrey Hepburn in Givenchy gowns and “Moon River” on acoustic guitar.

Prof. Romero: Endings are just as important as beginnings. The movie is more accessible, presents crowd-pleasing tropes, a performance of a lifetime by a legendary actress, and a song that still pulls at our heartstrings today. However, it’s worth considering the original ending presented by the author. Capote created a young woman who escaped her small town, only to get chewed up and spit out by the big city. The film is not superior to the book, and the book is not inferior to the film. If you gut the nature of the characters, what is there to compare? As a translator, I prefer a faithful adaptation. Striving for a happy ending at every turn is the best way to get lost. Endings matter just as much as beginnings. And when you write your stories, take a moment to consider all the other possible endings that are not so happy, not so bright, but inherently human.

Comments:

@CBM011000: Bravo!!! Well said! I couldn’t agree more!

@AisforAllison: Teaching grad school is no different than teaching grade school. Those questions! LMAO

@Barbara.Myers: If he were my professor, I’d forget my own name.

Chapter Twenty-Four

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@Swimwithsierra: Celebrating my independence with Ben & Lily’s latest selection: Boss Babe by Gloria Hernandez. Happy 4th! x

As Kylie had predicted, they’d all gathered at the roof to get drunk and watch fireworks. Only Ben was behind the bar and warned he had no problem cutting them off. Sierra joined them this time. With a red, white, and blue popsicle in one hand and a copy of Boss Babe in another, and Jeremy acting as cameraman, Sierra captured content before calling it a day.

“Who’s actually reading this?” she asked. “Is it any good?”

Ever the champion of literacy, Ben asked, “Why not read it and find out?”

“I’m a busy girl, Ben!”

Ben shook his head and left to serve a group of guys who’d stepped up to the bar. It was a busy evening; people arrived in droves. Their little crew had come early to secure the best seats at the bar and keep Ben company. He’d volunteered to take the shift so that Roxanna could take the baby to a picnic.

“If it’s spicy, I’ll grab the audiobook for my next flight,” Sierra said.

“It won’t disappoint,” Lily assured her.

“I’m not in it for the spice,” Kylie said, sipping on an all-American Jack and Coke. “I’m legit reading these books for relationship tips. Maybe I should date women, because the open and honest communication just blew me away.”

“If I dated a woman, all I’d do is raid her closet and use her bath bombs,” Sierra said.

“Me, too,” Noah admitted. He was drinking champagne, having pledged allegiance to France’s tricolor flag.

Sadly, Lily had been boy crazy since the age of thirteen. And yet her most intimate and intense relationships had been with the girls her age. As an adult she found most men, excluding Ben, two-dimensional and boring.

“Do you think it’s a woman thing? Or just a sign of a healthy relationship?” Jeremy asked. A true American, he sipped from a longneck.

“What would you know about healthy relationships?” Kylie asked him.

“I know you’ve got to talk to one another,” he replied. “I wasn’t born yesterday.”

“Turn over your driver’s license,” Kylie said. “I’d like to make sure.”

Jeremy hid a smile with another swig of beer.

“I’m decentering men,” Sierra declared. “Clearing the roster.”

“Don’t go crazy,” Noah said.

“It’s not worth it,” Sierra said. “They’re a waste of my time.”

“It’s life,” Lily said. The only nod to the holiday was a tiny American flag in her porn star martini. “Nothing is wasted.”

“Oh, Lily,” Noah said with a hint of pity. “Keep dreaming.” He slipped off his sunglasses as the sun had begun to set. The city dripped in gold.