Not Exactly a Love Story

BOOK TALK

It started with a midnight phone call. An obscene one – sort of.  And continued to develop into, well, if not exactly a love story, a secret friendship. When the high school jock Biff drops his girlfriend’s number, Vinnie Gold picks it up and decides to take a risk. Something he doesn’t do. He’s going to call popular Patsy, literally the girl next door. In 1977, without caller ID or Star 69, Vinnie’s identity can be secret. Thus begins the ritual midnight call where Patsy can be herself and Vinnie can be the suave Italian, Vincenzo. Funny thing is, during the day, Vinnie begins to live up to his confident alter-ego. As his athleticism and popularity grow, a real relationship with Patsy seems within reach. He’ll just have to hang up on her first.

Prepared by Julie Fales, Shawnee Mission South High School Journalism Adviser, Overland Park, KS