The Girls



Stars: 3.5/5
Author: Ladette Randolph
Subjects: dogs, dog sitting, orchid, torture devices, phallic decor
ISBN: 0-299-21510-5 (collection by Ladette Randolph: This is Not the Tropics)
Copyright Year: 2005 (collection)
Other Comments: "The Girls," by Ladette Randolph was first published in Clackamas Literary Review and then again in Randolph's collection of short stories This is Not the Tropics.  The fictional short story is about a young woman named Becca who dogsits for a professor at Pilgrim's College; a certain Professor Blakely.  However, Becca is surprised to find herself surrounded by torture devices and phallic decor.  She ends up also babysitting an orchid.  By the end of everything, she gains an appreciation for Blakely's unique family.  I was irked by all of the phallic symbols and torture devices and got an extremely creepy feeling - especially since it was a young woman dog sitting in an older man's house.  I thought the story was going to go a whole different direction, but Professor Blakely turned out not to be a sexual molester - to my relief.  However, the whole story was odd.  I was especially irked by how accepting Becca was of her surroundings.  Although, in the end, I think what saved this story was the divergence from the expected.  If Professor Blakely had been a sexual molester, I would have hated this story.  Instead, there was a sweet connection between the dogs, Becca, and the orchid.  I read some of the other stories in This is Not the Tropics and I would have to say I enjoyed those more.  Finally, I got the chance to meet Ladette Randolph.  She is a current editor of Ploughshares and has a novel as well as her collection of short stories.  She is such a wonderful and witty woman and I am glad I got the chance to talk with her.