Tales of the City

Vacationing in San Francisco for the first time, Mary Ann places a long-distance call to her mother to tell her that she is not coming home. Despite being in the city for only five days, it already “‘feels like home’” to Mary Ann (9). Mary Ann’s mother tries to persuade her to come home and begins to cry. Mary Ann remains resolute, ends the call, and then asks an old friend, Connie, if she can stay in her apartment.

Mary Ann drags her suitcase to Connie’s apartment, and they share a drink together. Connie is a stewardess, and her home is filled with kitschy bric-a-brac. They reminisce over an old yearbook, which includes an airbrushed photograph of Mary Ann with a caption that proclaims her membership in the “Future Homemakers of America” (12). Connie had been much more popular than Mary Ann. They discuss social opportunities in the city, and Connie shows off a magazine article about orgies. They eat dinner and then Mary Ann naps. She wakes up from a nightmare about her home life, splashes water on her face, and discovers a collection of men’s aftershave in Connie’s bathroom.