{"id":2188,"date":"2012-10-22T11:55:18","date_gmt":"2012-10-22T19:55:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/heatherhaley.com\/onelife\/?p=2188"},"modified":"2012-10-22T11:55:18","modified_gmt":"2012-10-22T19:55:18","slug":"hollywood-halloween-riot-grrrls-in-love-excerpt-from-forthcoming-novel-the-town-sluts-daughter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/heatherhaley.com\/hh2\/?p=2188","title":{"rendered":"Hollywood Halloween & Riot grrrls in love-excerpt from forthcoming novel, “The Town Slut’s Daughter”"},"content":{"rendered":"
1<\/div>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Viridis Somnio<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
1<\/div>\n

Pearl\u2019s tiny apartment housed a rumpled hodge-podge: dusty houseplants, Tiki head vase, paper daisies, red gingham curtains, a muddle of books and a ceramic Portuguese rooster crowing from its perch atop the fridge. Pearl claimed kinship to Flannery O\u2019 Connor and displayed a large collection of family photos.<\/p>\n

The Lost Angels tribe, still decked out in costumes after a round of hullabaloos\u2014Halloween far more significant a holiday in Hollywood than Christmas\u2014had convened at her place for a nightcap, strains of Edith Piaf emanating from Pearl\u2019s ghetto blaster. Aptly turned out as a princess, Pearl sat in a cloud of white satin and organza furbelows. Feline Fiona had painted her face with orange and black stripes, employing Evinrude as a model. Evelyn was decked out as the consummate witch, replete with long, wonky nose and hair protruding from a bulbous chin mole. She passed a spliff around, revelers talking, or yelling simultaneously. The landlady above banged on her floor, Pearl\u2019s ceiling.<\/p>\n

Evelyn cackled. \u201cSounds like she rides a mean broom.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pearl turned down the music. \u201cYou guys! You\u2019re gonna get me evicted.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, shut-up!\u201d commanded Evelyn. She picked up an LA Weekly<\/em>, Prince on the cover, and placing it over her face like a mask, pretended to pick his nose with her index finger, which caused Pearl\u2019s guests to roar with laughter. \u201cOr you will be banished to the barrens of Minnesota to listen to Purple Rain<\/em> for the rest of your natural lives!\u201d<\/p>\n

Bradley the human condom laughed. \u201cIs that a hex?\u201d<\/p>\n

Vampire Kaye vainly tried to squelch giggles. Soon they were snapping Polaroids, Evelyn etching designs onto the film as it developed. Kaye slurped her gin and tonic.<\/p>\n

\u201cPearl! You look like one of those toilet paper covers. You know, those dolls people stick on their toilet tanks. Old ladies knit them up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGee, thanks,\u201d replied Pearl above peals of laughter.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, yeah!\u201d said Bradley. \u201cI know what you\u2019re talking about. Is there a name for those things?\u201d<\/p>\n

Kaye laughed. \u201cYeah, piss elegance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bradley fell to one knee at Pearl\u2019s feet. \u201cShe looks like a beautiful bride.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s the wedding cake.\u201d Evelyn dipped a finger into Pearl\u2019s organza icing and popped into it her mouth.<\/p>\n

Pearl fluffed her stacks of tulle and played I Put A Spell On You<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love Screamin\u2019 Jay Hawkins!\u201d Kaye flung her cape over her shoulder invoking the showman they\u2019d seen in concert earlier in the evening.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe flaming coffin!\u201d cried Bradley. \u201cI loved the flaming coffin!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you are a flamer,\u201d said Evelyn.<\/p>\n

He ignored the remark. \u201cAnd the bone in his nose!\u201d Bradley sweated profusely despite discarding most of his plastic costume. \u201cWhat a brilliant performer! I had no idea.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlice Cooper stole his shtick if you ask me.\u201d Kaye rose, stretched, and repositioned her fake fangs. \u201cHey, I\u2019m getting out of here before sunrise.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fiona drained her drink. Pearl asked her to stay a little longer. One by one their coworkers filed out. Fiona washed off her face paint as Pearl removed her tiara and crinolines with a sigh of relief. Bathrobe clad, she lit sandalwood incense, beeswax candles and settled in next to Fiona on the couch.<\/p>\n

\u201cMmm. You smell good.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhite Rabbit.\u201d Pearl lifted her wrist to Fiona\u2019s nose. \u201cRose essential oil, actually.\u201d<\/p>\n

They discussed Irving Azoff\u2019s purging of thirty-nine acts from MCA\u2019s roster, Pearl\u2019s potential for promotion, and gender politics.<\/p>\n

Fiona sighed. \u201cThere aren\u2019t many female-friendly labels out there. Look at Lost Angels. The roster is almost completely made up of guys.\u201d<\/p>\n

Their bodies inched closer together. \u201cWomen are making inroads,\u201d said Pearl. \u201cI know some female executives.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cProbably the same executives I naively targeted with my demo tape, thinking they might identify with a woman\u2019s voice. So much for sisterhood.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey can\u2019t do anything unless they\u2019re in A&R.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, right, and the A&R people can\u2019t do anything because they\u2019re afraid of losing their jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pearl sighed. \u201cThere are more independent labels than ever before in the history of popular music.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay. Airplay. How about that? A whole other Everest. All the program directors are male. They won\u2019t play more than one \u2018girl singer\u2019 an hour.\u201d Fiona emphasized the point by banging her Tecate down on Pearl\u2019s prized black lacquer-and-mother-of pearl-inlay coffee table. Her eyes widened. \u201cSorry!\u201d Fiona quickly placed the beer on a coaster. \u201cBut it\u2019s true. The music business is a male preserve.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLook at you. You\u2019re a sign of the times.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah. Right. And it\u2019s a real bitch. You have no idea how tough it is for a woman to have control over her career in this business.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGet a manager. Dennis is a great guy but you need a real manager.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEasier said than done. At least Dennis is in my corner. I need all the help I can get. I\u2019m sorry. I\u2019ll quit whining. At least I finally have a repertoire I\u2019m proud of.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll tell you a secret.\u201d Pearl lowered her voice. \u201cLeo\u2019s going to offer you a recording contract. But you can\u2019t say anything! He\u2019s waiting till next quarter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWow! A recording contract! Alright! Maybe I won\u2019t spend the rest of my life slogging over telephones.\u201d<\/p>\n

They toasted her good fortune, edging onto the middle cushion together, body heat registering. They discussed parents, how Fiona\u2019s father, as much as she resented him, had always encouraged her.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said I can do anything a man can do. So put us to work weeding, mowing, cutting down trees, stacking wood. Took us hunting, fishing. Thought he coud turn me into Annie Oakley.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it affects your performance. I love the way you carry yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u201d Fiona shifted sideways, marveling at Pearl\u2019s pert titties, wide cradle of hips, luscious bottom. \u201cI love it when you bend over the Xerox machine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pearl straightened up, turning to face Fiona, feigning shock. \u201cYou do?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh yeah. Casting your pearls before swine though.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy God! What can you see?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t see anything. But it\u2019s hard not to look.\u201d<\/p>\n

An instinctive smile slowly spread across Pearl\u2019s lips. \u201cFiona! I didn\u2019t know you cared.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, you did so. Don\u2019t be coy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tittering, thighs touching, their shoulders met. Gnawing on a fingernail, Fiona could think of nothing to say, but mustered, \u201cI find you very attractive.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\n

Pearl smiled. \u201cI love your Canadian accent. It\u2019s sexy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPhsaw. Your drawl. Now, that\u2019s a turn-on.\u201d Fiona took her hand. \u201cPearl,\u201d she said in a lazy voice, in imitation. \u201cYou don\u2019t tell a platonic friend she\u2019s sexy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Squirming, Pearl lifted her eyes to Fiona\u2019s, scrutinizing, questioning. Fiona contemplated her choices. Our choices. She is not about to give anything away. Pearl\u2019s willing, just won\u2019t say it, much the way she picks at her food when people are watching but digs in when they\u2019re not. Fiona bent her head toward her. They kissed. Fixing her eyes upon Pearl\u2019s, Fiona took her hand and slipped it under her shirt onto her breast. Pearl gasped and capitulating, thrust her tongue into Fiona\u2019s mouth.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

1 1 Pearl\u2019s tiny apartment housed a rumpled hodge-podge: dusty houseplants, Tiki head vase, paper daisies, red gingham curtains, a muddle of books and a ceramic Portuguese rooster crowing from its perch atop the fridge. Pearl claimed kinship to Flannery O\u2019 Connor and displayed a large collection of family photos. The Lost Angels tribe, still […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[10],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/heatherhaley.com\/hh2\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2188"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/heatherhaley.com\/hh2\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/heatherhaley.com\/hh2\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/heatherhaley.com\/hh2\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/heatherhaley.com\/hh2\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2188"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/heatherhaley.com\/hh2\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2188\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/heatherhaley.com\/hh2\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2188"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/heatherhaley.com\/hh2\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2188"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/heatherhaley.com\/hh2\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2188"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}