catfight, 19th-century style ~
last night i began reading the seventh novel in the Rougon-Macquart series (wow ~ can't believe i've made it this far!). the first chapter is already a big improvement over the whole of the last book and sported a fabulous catfight between two women in a public washing house, replete with hair tearing, scratching, rending of garments ~ all you could hope for from a vicious altercation.
the context of this story is pretty grim: poverty, abuse, alcoholism, etc., so i ain't expecting no rainbows out of this one. and while this fight seemed played somewhat comically, i have a sense that the book can only get darker from here on in. it's impossible to fathom the workingclass lives of 19th century people. it's even more impossible to fathom that some of these conditions and situations are every much a part of the day-to-day for modern people as well. despite all of our "progress" there seem to be certain areas in which no matter what kind of assistance or programming is offered, we are making no headway.
there's a cheery thought.
anyhow ~ just checking in for no other reason than to do so. whoever is on and reads this needs to tell me whether i should have pizza or chicken for dinner. i can't decide.
: o p