There are a lot of things I love here, but I think my very favorite one is Dan feeling actually good and confident about himself and his appearance for once... and then looking across at his much-loathed imitator being an almost literal "mirror." It's like he's looking at his insecure, awkward, cringey reflection in the past! It's a perfect metaphor for the way social anxiety strikes, and also a really brilliant way of underlining the connections between who Dan was and who Nathan is and the ways in which they are similar, much as Dan is loath to admit it. (And of course, it's one of the many reasons why Dan can't stand Nathan.)
But I also love the circular nature of the story here, the way history repeats itself not just with Dan and his imitator Nathan, but with Jones, and with two Sugar Ape Christmas parties 20 years apart in time but strikingly similar in the ways that count: Dan being awkward, relying on too much booze for confidence, getting himself in trouble, and Jones coming to the rescue with his help, his home, and his creepy toy collection. It's utterly unsurprising that 1994 Jones accepted Dan's presence in his squat and his life with total equanimity, but the way 2014 Jones automatically can deduce the cause of Dan's problems and just goes about calmly tending to Dan speaks to how well he knows and understands him now. (His matter-of-facts answers about the Barbies also made me grin. Perfectly IC. Sometimes people forget how WEIRD Jones is, you know?)
The line about Dan not being able to tell if Jones is a boy, a girl, or a woodland nymph is genius (to be fair, that is a tough call...), and I love that Dan felt the need to make up for his gaffe with handing over his own drink by bringing Jones a proper drink and bottle of water--and that Jones was charmed by it. There's already a hint of magic there, that he makes Dan feel comfortable and good, like he IS capable instead of merely pretending to be. That's exactly what I get from their relationship.
But I also love the circular nature of the story here, the way history repeats itself not just with Dan and his imitator Nathan, but with Jones, and with two Sugar Ape Christmas parties 20 years apart in time but strikingly similar in the ways that count: Dan being awkward, relying on too much booze for confidence, getting himself in trouble, and Jones coming to the rescue with his help, his home, and his creepy toy collection. It's utterly unsurprising that 1994 Jones accepted Dan's presence in his squat and his life with total equanimity, but the way 2014 Jones automatically can deduce the cause of Dan's problems and just goes about calmly tending to Dan speaks to how well he knows and understands him now. (His matter-of-facts answers about the Barbies also made me grin. Perfectly IC. Sometimes people forget how WEIRD Jones is, you know?)
The line about Dan not being able to tell if Jones is a boy, a girl, or a woodland nymph is genius (to be fair, that is a tough call...), and I love that Dan felt the need to make up for his gaffe with handing over his own drink by bringing Jones a proper drink and bottle of water--and that Jones was charmed by it. There's already a hint of magic there, that he makes Dan feel comfortable and good, like he IS capable instead of merely pretending to be. That's exactly what I get from their relationship.
Can't wait to read on!
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