Where the Wild Ladies Are

How unfair society was! Male employees had to pretend to be capable of doing things they couldn't do, while female employees had to pretend to be incapable of doing things they actually could do. Over the years, how many women had seen their talents magically disappearing in that way?

When they are truly into something, they are absolutely single-minded in their fixation. They give it all they have. They throw heaps of money at it, research it endlessly, and do whatever seems necessary to draw closer to it. You sense real passion there.

...Everything's all swish and swanky. It's horrible. And what's with all this pink rubbish you've got strewn around the place?' My aunt held up between her thumb and forefinger the pink cushion she'd been leaning on, as if handling something unspeakably repulsive. 'Pink maximizes your romantic potential!' I cried. My aunt had succeeded in striking a nerve. I clenched my fists tight to hide my fuchsia-painted nails.

Previously she'd lacked confidence and was forever putting out feelers to the people around her to gauge what they were thinking, but these days she gave out an almost authoritative aura, as if to signal that she couldn't care less what other people made of her. It was like she'd become invincible.

I don’t have an obsessive personality, but these women remind me a lot of certain friends of mine who are fixated on something—figure skating, a particular pop star, a hobby, what have you.

He who speaks of love must do so with courage.