my favorite lines.

i finished reading 'the help' this morning.... under a serious deadline, seeing as how i'm going to see the movie tonight. i expect nothing less than to love the book more than the movie but to be wholly entertained by it anyway. that's how it goes, right?

i started reading last night after work.  i curled myself up in the world's most perfect reading chair and stayed there..... for 522 pages.

it was heaven, if you want the truth.

the book is dog-eared like mad with all of my favorite lines - ones that made me laugh and made me say "uh-huh".  by no means is skeeter's relationship with stuart the keystone of the story, but it's a relatable one. at least to me.  the single girl among a world full of marrieds and a mother who reminds you, in all the kindest ways, to get married sooner than later.

my favorites:

"it's all about putting yourself in a man-meeting situation where you can--"

"mama," i say, just wanting to end this conversation, "would it really be so terrible if i never met a husband?"

...

"oh it was delicious to have someone to keep secrets with. if i'd had a sister or a brother closer in age, i guess it would be like that."

{excellent bestie reference... especially for us besties who are only girls or only children}

...

"no one ever tells us, girls who don't go on dates, that remembering can be almost as good as what actually happens.  mother climbs all the way to the 3rd floor and stands over me in my bed, but i act like i'm still asleep.  because i just want to remember it awhile."

...

"most of the questions are not unkind... still, i shrug, try not to notice how when a regular girl gets asked out, it's information, but when skeeter phelan gets asked out, it's news."

...

"mother ravishes missus whitworth with degustationary compliments.  mother views this supper as an important move in the game called "Can My Daughter Catch Your Son?"

...

"when he has disappeared, mother clears her throat.  i don't turn around and look at her in the rocking chair. i don't want her to see the disappointment in my face that he's gone.

"go ahead mother," i finally mutter.  "say what you want to say."

"dont' let him cheapen you."

i look back at her, eye her suspiciously.  sorry is the fool who ever underestimates my mother.

"if stuart doesn't know how intelligent and kind i raised you to be, he can march straight on back to state street." she narrows her eye out over the winter land. "frankly, i dont' care much for stuart.  he doesn't know how lucky he was to have you."

i let mother's words sit like a tiny, sweet candy on my tongue.

"thank you, mama."

now, let's hope it all translates so perfectly on the screen.