Nancy spoke to me as if she were my mother. “Margaret dear—you can’t possibly miss Laura Danker. The big blonde with the big you know whats!”
“Oh, I noticed her right off,” I said. “She’s very pretty.”
“Pretty!” Nancy snorted. “You be smart and stay away from her. She’s got a bad reputation.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“My brother said she goes behind the A&P with him and Moose.”
“And,” Janie added, “she’s been wearing a bra since fourth grade and I bet she gets her period.”
—Judy Blume, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, as quoted in Ten Authors Who Write Great Dialogue ( Meredith Borders, Lit Reactor). Borders’ column also features passages from Jeffrey Eugenides, Barbara Kingsolver and Elmore Leonard, among others.
Photo: New York Public Library, Flickr
***
We need your help to get to 5,000 Longreads Members.
Get the Longreads Weekly Email