Introduction

Sometimes love is funny -- Take Bailey. Sometimes Bailey feels like she knows more about movies than she does about her own life. Take Red. They've known each other for years now and suddenly, fast as a plot twist, Red loves Bailey. And Bailey loves Red. She loves him like Barbra Streisand loved Robert Redford. Like Kate Winslet loved Leo DiCapprio. Or so it seems. But is it too good to be true? And what about all that baggage: Bailey's husband and Red's ex-wife and her lesbian lover and Bailey's best friend and her crazy husband. How will it all end? Bailey is afraid that her life - once a romantic comedy- will soon become a three-hanky tear-jerker.

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Excerpt

“THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL”

Twenty minutes into all movies, the first plot twist occurs. I’ve known this since fourth grade when my parents, both renowned film critics pointed it out to me. Since then, I have spent the first 20 minutes of every movie hanging onto my seat, anticipating that twist, which makes it all the more ironic that when the first plot twist occurred in my own life, I didn’t even recognize it for what it was.

What I did recognize (and forever paused in my mind’s eye) was the exact moment when the world shifted and the moon quaked and the stars realigned themselves and the seas danced and all the animals smiled and I saw things differently. More precisely, I saw HIM differently. It was a magical moment and whenever I look back, the sweet sounds of violins, worthy of an award-winning John Williams composition, accompany the memory.

Red. His name was Red Winkler, but for the past five years, I never thought of the name “Red” without the tagline “Janee’s Dad”. Janee was Sophie’s best friend and sleepover buddy; Sophie is the co-star of my life, getting top billing. Janee and Sophie had been friends since First Grade, so, of course, I bumped into Red/Janee’s dad every time I dropped off Sophie at a birthday party, and I saw Red/Janee’s dad when he brought Janee over to spend the night, and I saw Red/Janee’s dad when he and his wife took all the kids to the zoo, and I saw Red/Janee’s dad on his front porch that day he told me that his wife of fourteen years had left and he and Janee were really sad these days, and I saw Red/Janee’s dad more and more as Janee clung to her friendship with So phie.

And then one day, my vision changed. Or Red/Janee’s dad changed. I can still see the scene……

Red/Janee’s dad brought Janee over for a summer afternoon play date. The girls immediately ran squealing into Sophie’s room to change into their princess gowns. Red/Janee’s dad sat down on the couch across from me and asked, “Bailey, where do you buy those little white socks for Sophie?”

“I get them at Target. Sophie outgrows them so fast that there’s no reason to buy expensive socks at this point”, I answered, shifting in my chair.

Red/Janee’s dad didn’t respond. I waited for a minute, or two, and then glanced over at him, and I saw Red/Janee’s dad looking at my crotch.

OHMIGOD, I thought, Red/Janee’s dad is looking at my crotch – he’s staring at my crotch!

Is it the shorts I’m wearing? Are they too tight? Do I have a Camel Toe? Is it the way I’m sitting? Does he think I’m trying to flash him?

Should I move my hand down there to distract him?

And what is that look on his face? Is it lust?

OHMIGOD, Red is looking at my crotch with lust.

He’s a man. This MAN is looking at my crotch!

Beyond the shock, how did I feel about that?

A little titillated.

More than a little titillated.

And I kind of liked it.

Well, okay, I like it a lot.

And that was when I forgot I was married. view abbreviated excerpt only...

Discussion Questions

From the author:

1. Think about the passive-aggressive natures of relationships. For example, Bret insists on calling Bailey “Bay” even though she asks him to stop. Is it selective hearing that made Bret ignore Bailey’s request, or was it purposeful? When someone “keeps forgetting” and ignores our requests, is it Button-Pushing or innocent Absence of Mind? How about in your own relationships?

2. Each chapter of SEEING RED shares its title with a movie. The movie titles hint at what is happening in that chapter. What movie title describes the current chapter of your life?

3. In “Raging Bull” and “Balls of Fury”, the author wrote the chapter in one long compound sentence. How did that affect you? Did that change the pace/urgency of the story? Can you tell a story from your life in one long compound sentence?

4. We all have rules in our lives, sometimes self-imposed. When Bailey and Red agreed to their rules for sleeping together, do you think they both intended to follow the One Time Rule? Which rules, spoken or unspoken, do you want in your relationships?

5. Do you think Red seduced Bailey, or Bailey seduced Red?

6. When Bailey’s parents learn of her affair, they react in different ways. Her father seems to bless her affair, as long as she keeps it casual. Her mother warns her of the consequences. How would your parents react if they learned you were having an extra-martial affair?

7. Bailey eats her way through depression, gains weight and then claims to like herself better fatter. Red seems to ignore the weight gain. Could you still like yourself if you gained a significant amount of weight? Is your love conditional on the number on the bathroom scale?

8. Do you believe that Red was instructecd to give Bailey space when she was in the hospital? Why did the psychiatrist suggest that? How did that impact Bailey’s mental health?

9. Red wants to get married, Bailey doesn’t. When Bailey changes her mind, why does Red change his, too?

10. Family holidays can be messy. Which holiday was most disastrous for Bailey? Was it Thanksgiving? Was it Easter? What is the most stressful holiday in your family? Why?

11. Do you think the friendship will continue between Sophie and Janee? How will becoming step-sisters impact their relationship?

12. Ten years from now, will Bailey and Red still be together?

13. Bailey thinks it’s cute that Red says things like, “I miss you like prisoners miss closets” and “I miss you like Thursdays miss ‘SEINFELD’.” Do you think she will continue to find his similes endearing after marriage, or will she tire of them? Why is it that the things we admire most about our partners at the beginning are the things that annoy us most later?

14. Do you feel sorry for Brett? If this story was told from Brett’s point of view, how different would it be?

15. Is SEEING RED more of a comedy or more of a romance? If someone told your story, would it be a comedy? A romance? A tale of redemption? A mystery?

Weblinks

»	Author Linda Amstutz's web site

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