There are times when I’m quite grateful I was born in late 20th century. And yes, this even holds true after working a very challenging day at Company X, enduring the commute back to Moderate Income Apartments and knowing that once I walk through my apartment door there’s a stack of dishes to wash, Blacklight and Miss Susan Fish to be fed and laundry to be done. If I grumble and forget, someone please go to the East Hartford/Raymond Library, find Monica Dickens’ The Winds of Heaven and wave it in my face. Or save yourself the drive and just whisper “Remember Louise Bickford” in my ear.
Now just who the devil is Louise Bickford? Good question. Louise Bickford is a fifty-something widow, who thanks to being crushed by life and a jackass of a late husband, exists on on tiny allowance and spends her time shuffling between staying with one of her three daughters and at a hotel an old school friend runs. I know you’re thinking, well why doesn’t she just get a darn job already, get a little service flat of her own and the heck with her daughters charity and hospitality. Excellent points and I for one rather want to shake some sense into Louise and her daughters but that would rather defeat the plot our dear Monica Dickens has concocted. Besides, you have to remember the times and that Louise was gently raised and a gentlewoman. Her children won’t let her starve except for emotionally.
One day while out with her oldest daughter who I have dubbed Eldest Bitch and grandchildren on an outing, Louise makes an unlikely friend of sorts, a heavyset older man who works in a department store and writers lurid thrillers in his spare time, the exact kind Louise has to smuggle into her bitchy oldest daughter’s house to read in private. Now this oldest daughter would certainly think Mother’s new “friend” is simply not their kind-I mean he WORKS-in trade! The horror (goes to clutch pearls but remembers took them off when came home from work). Oh yes, and Eldest Bitch (government name: Miriam) really is not so lovely herself. Girl has a secret! Middle Bitch (government name: Eva) is an struggling actress and might care if she could only tear her attention away from Totally Unsuitable Married Dude. Youngest Bitch (government name: Anne)? Oh Great Tulu, you just want to shake her until her teeth rattles-how did she snag herself a hot stud monkey husband who DOES ALL THE WORK? (Blacklight: “Maybe she’s awesome in bed?”).
Louise changes households every season and all it normal (emotional starvation) in her narrow world until part of her support network shatters. Is this when Louise finally puts some starch in her girdle and gets a job at a society for gentlewomen, a lovely little service flat complete with a sweet grey cat and screws her gentleman friend until the bed breaks? Umm…sadly this particular scenario is only in my head. Monica Dickens wouldn’t have nice Louise do that. Middle Bitch? Heck yeah. What happens is Louise gets a quiet interlude of happiness and peace in a tiny caravan/camper/travel trailer with her beloved eldest grandchild. But then hey…PLOT TWIST and the end.
There are some goods bits about The Winds of Heaven. (Blacklight: “You mean it wasn’t that one were you thought the dude was gay?” Me: “The Nightingales Are Singing! Yes! That one! The Winds of Heaven is SO MUCH BETTER!”). There’s Youngest Bitch’s hot husband. Eldest Bitch’s big secret (which is rather obvious if you are paying attention). You’ll definitely want to hop in a time machine with a wad of pound notes and hit the Portobello Road Market. (If you see any dresser sets marked with G? Hands off! MINE!). And The Winds of Heaven would make an interesting UK period series. Now to pop The Winds of Heaven in the library book and come up with my dream casting. How about Cate Blanchett in high brittle mode for Eldest Bitch, Kate Winslet in sloppy mode as Youngest Bitch…
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