A LITTLE BIT MARRIED
by Debra Borden
Shell-shocked suburban mom is bombarded with bad news.
Bitsy Lerner has become an empty vessel. She administers to her smooth talking husband, Alan, and her two children with passionless efficiency. Bitsy abandoned her artistic pursuits when she signed on for life as a stay-at-home mom. These days she shops, decorates and gossips. When Alan attempts suicide for the second time and ends up hospitalized, Bitsy has to snap out of her lethargy and grow a spine. Thanks to their free-spending habits and Alan’s slipshod money management, things are looking dire for the Lerner family. It’s a chore to suffer through Bitsy’s initial self-indulgent response to her situation—her prolonged pity party would wear on the kindest soul. Not until her children start to act out does Bitsy formulate a plan of action. Step 1: Beg parents for help. Step 2: Pay attention to children. Step 3: Find a job. Slowly Bitsy wakes up. Though she admits that she is in a miserable marriage, the ultimate test is her ability to stand her ground as Alan prepares to return home. Borden’s exposé of wealthy America’s over-consumption is intriguing yet disheartening. As Borden (Lucky Me, 2005) tells it, the life of a soccer mom is a bleak one indeed.
A depressing redemption tale.