short story Thursday and book club Friday.

What came first Fitzgerald or The Flapper? The Flapper or Fitzgerald? Who cares, they're both delicious. “Bernice Bobs Her Hair” was originally published by The Saturday Evening Post on May 1, 1920 and the gist is as follows:

Marjorie is a sassy little flapper, having 'gracefully fallen' into her self-proclaimed education in all things gentleman caller. Visiting from Eau Claire, cousin Bernice's traditional, if not decidedly 'dull' manner, not only inhibits but offends Marjorie. Basically, M is a bitchy little handful and B is very, very common. Anyway, M makes B a marionette, instructing B on her ease of manner, charm, witticisms, dress and the ability to leave the house without warranting ridicule and scorn. As a B in M's clothing, a timeless and universally applicable plot unfolds. Whether 1920 or sometime later this week who doesn't love a cut-throat makeover underpinned by the jockeying of girls and boys in relation to other girls and boys.

Albeit one short story in a compilation, it is fantastic and timeless and here is why:

1. "Her test was that when she was away from him she forgot him and had affairs with other boys"

2. "...absorbed in composing one of those non-committal, marvelously elusive letters that only a young girl can write"

3. "They were frequently seen together in his roadster, obviously engrossed in one of those tense, significant conversations"

4. "This was the test supreme of her sportsmanship; her right to walk unchallenged in the starry heaven of popular girls."

5. "It was quite a new look for Bernice and it carried consequences" .