Setting
The setting of the story is a small town in the 1960s. This town is conservative and does not promote alcohol. The two primary setting are the main character’s home and the home in which she baby sits—the Berrymans.
Narration
The narration is first person point of view. The narrator is the protagonist of the story: an unnamed teenage girl. The story is told primarily as a flashback from the adult narrator. As a result, the narrator can tell her story with playfulness, self-deprecation, detachment, and even fondness. While the incident caused her genuine pain at the time, she has long since come to terms with it. Summary
The protagonist has been dumped by Martin. She is forced to see him with his new girlfriend which adds to the pain that she is already experiencing. Crying all the time, she decides to commit suicide; however, she stops after taking six aspirins.
Her mother does not help. Noticing that something is wrong with her daughter, the girl tells her what is wrong and the mother responds that it is a good thing that the broke up.
The girl has to baby sit at the Berryman’s. When they leave her, she feels such pain and loneliness. The Berrymans are new to town, and they do drink. After putting on some moody, sad music, she decides to fix herself something to drink to kill the pain. She drinks a full glass of rye with an ounce of scotch. In the beginning, she feels a little better. Then, she becomes drunk and starts vomiting all over the bathroom, herself, and the new rug.
Realizing that she needs help, she calls her friend to come over and help her. Her friend brings another girl and two guys with her. The girls clean her up and place a blanket around her until her clothes dry. The