They both sat down and announced their ages.
“I’m 32,” said Arlene.
“I’m 23,” said Tammie.
“Add your ages together,” I said, “and you’ve got me.”
Arlene’s hair was long and black. She sat in the chair by the window combing her hair, making up her face, looking into a large silver mirror…
From Chapter 41 of Women, a novel by Charles Bukowski
Note: Arlene was based on Georgia (RIP), who famously posed with Bukowski in front of his refrigerator. (You can google the photos — priceless!) Bukowski also wrote a poem called “The Silver Mirror” about Georgia’s first visit. Tammie was based on Pamela “Cupcakes” Wood, whose memoir of her two-year relationship with Bukowski — Charles Bukowski’s Scarlet – is available on Amazon.com here.
