Big Blonde

Big Blonde Summary | Detailed Summary

This short story's protagonist, Hazel Morse, is the stereotypical head-turning big blonde of her day. A former model that gravitates towards others like her, Hazel is vain. She dresses well and wears small, tight, high heels. She flirts with men; they like her, and they take her out. She considers herself a good sport and never stops to think that she might spend her time on something more serious. While working in the fashion industry, she meets Herbie Morse, an attractive man who drinks heavily and has an obsessive habit of biting his cuticles.

They marry quickly, and just as quickly, Hazel changes. She gives up the pretense of who she was. While she loves her new life, she is more real than she has ever been. She complains when she has reason to. She cries when she is sad. When she does not feel like talking, she does not. At first, Herbie assumes the role of comforter, playing to her melancholies, reassuring her and loving her. However, the responsibility soon overwhelms him. He complains about her moods, and then he begins to go out by himself at night, failing to come home for hours after work. Hazel is frantic at first, fearing that he has had an accident or that he is cheating on her. She begins to dress and go out with Herbie, but she does not find his drinking amusing any more. Herbie accuses her of nagging him about it and begins to fight with her.

In a desperate attempt to become "the sport" she once was, Hazel begins to drink, too. Initially, there are periods of levity between them, but the fights always follow. They no longer make up after these fights, and the fights become more violent. Herbie begins to slap and punch Hazel. He leaves now for days at a time, threatening to never come back.

Hazel learns to hate being alone. So, when Mrs. Martin, another big blonde, moves in across the hall, she begins to join her for drinks throughout the day and to entertain a number of male friends over poker games in the evenings. She is popular with "the boys" and begins to think that perhaps Herbie is the only one who does not believe she is still a sport. One of the men, Ed, takes a particular interest in her.

Herbie comes home after several days away, packs his suitcases and tells her that he is moving to Detroit. Hazel, partly drunk, partly indifferent, accepts the news readily. Ed sleeps with her that very night. Ed takes her picture home with him to Utica. Later, he helps find a new apartment for her near Grand Central Station and gives her an allowance. They frequent a club called Jimmy's where all the women look alike and have similar arrangements with the men in their lives. Ed insists she be happy, and is, although she wishes she could be allowed a little sadness. After a few years, Ed moves to Florida after giving Hazel a large check and some stock. After he is gone, she does not miss him.

A succession of men follows, one always materializing just as the last moves on. As the years pass, Hazel finds herself depressed and thinking of suicide. While she continues to drink into the night and sleep late into the day, she likes to think of never laughing and admiring or being a good sport again. She hears about a sleep aid, Veronal, and she visits several pharmacies until she thinks she has enough with which to kill herself. On an evening when she cannot shake the blues, she takes the pills and goes to bed. Her maid, Nettie, finds her and summons a doctor. Under his care, Hazel survives. She wakes to Nettie's remonstrations and apologizes profusely.

In an effort to cheer her, Nettie gives her a card from a current boyfriend, Art, who writes that he hopes she has cheered up. Hazel is miserable again and asks Nettie to pour her a drink. Nettie balks after all they have been through the past two days, but she gets the drink when Hazel suggests she pour one for herself as well. Nettie brings her drink and encourages her to cheer up. Hazel says "sure" as she begins to drink, praying she will always be drunk.