The Dolphin Book: Chapter 2

It’s that time people! Chapter 2 of The Dolphin Book!

Please understand, I had just heard my sister read Gone With The Wind for the first time, and I totally ripped this auction idea off from that book. What ensues is this terribly sexist and ridiculous scene. We could have a long, strong discussion about how 12 year old girls perceive the female role in society, what kind of scenarios or images about females they are constantly fed, and just in general rape culture and how that effects their lives and perception of themselves.

But that is for another blog post.

The Dolphin Book

Chapter 2

Inside was really loud. She sat down and ate first. Her table was pretty close to his so when she looked up she practically choked. As she looked up, he looked up and their eyes connected. She gazed into his eyes and smiles. Then she looked away, back down at her food. Her heart was racing! She had shocks of excitement going through her body. Then she calmed down.

She chanted to herself, “He won’t be interested! He won’t be interested!” She screamed this in her head. She looked down at her food and ate for the next half hour. Then she heard screams. She looked up and Bruce wasn’t there! She looked up at the stage and there he was, getting ready to sing!

“Ok! Who wants me to sing?” Screams and shouts came from the crowd.

“Ok! My first song is going to be a slow one, but not too slow.” The music started and he sang.

“I could stay awake, just to hear you breathin’. Watch your smile while you are sleeping, when you far away and dreamin’…”

The words were absolutely beautiful to her. She really had fun listening to him sing. She gazed into his eye as he sang. Zillions of screams and shouts came from the audience as he sang.

((I literally wrote out every single word of this song in the book, then erased it. There would be a verses, then writing about looking into each others eyes, more song lyrics, gazing, singing, and this awful pattern lasted a bit. So there is just a lot of talking about smiling and staring at each other….Oh, and if you don’t know this song, you are DEAD TO ME.))

Then their eyes connected. He started to smile and still sang. He didn’t take his eyes off of her. He kept his eyes on her the whole time he sang the song. She smiled and he smiled right back. He kept looking into her eyes.

He finished the song and kept singing other ones. Finally, he finished singing and came down off the stage, looking at Justine.

“Now it’s time for the Auction of the Ladies!! All ladies come up here to the stage!” said an announcer. Justine stood and walked up on stage with all the other ladies.

“Now this is how it works! Men, if you see a lady you like, go for it! We need all the money we can get! Now, lets start! What’s you name honey?”  The announcer asked the first girl.

((Why did I insist on using the words 'lady' and 'ladies', and why they were raising money I have no idea.))

“Brittany!” said the first girl. So the men bid on her. It kept going. Bruce remained quiet.

Finally, it came to Justine.

“And what’s your name?” asked the announcer.

“Justine.” she answered. Bruce suddenly looked up, recognizing her voice from when she had called his name outside.

“Well! Let’s start the bidding! Let’s place the first bid at $100! $100 for the lovely lady!”

“$100!” yelled one guy.

“$150!” Yelled another.

“$200!” Bruce yelled. Justine gasped. He bid on her!

“$300!” Yelled another guy, who was wearing an cowboy hat.

“$400!” Bruce yelled back.

“$500!” Hollered the cowboy hat guy.

“$600!” Bruce yelled. Justine was getting dizzy.

“$700!” Yelled cowboy hat guy.

“$1000!” Yelled Bruce loudly. The other guys didn’t say anything. The announcer looked at both of them.

“Going once!” cried the announcer. “Going twice! Sold, the lovely lady for $1000!!!” Justine looked at Bruce with wide eyes and suddenly fell to the ground in a faint. 

“Oh dear! Bruce, you’d better come and get your lady!” Bruce walked up to the stage and picked Justine up. All the girls in the lined groaned.

“Sorry!” he whispered as he walked by carrying Justine. He walked to the back of the room with Justine in his arms.

“Hey! Hey! My lady! Wake up!” She was out stone cold. Then he gave her a little kiss on her lips to try to wake her.

Her eyes slowly opened. He was still kissing her. She lifted up her hand and slapped him in the face, hard.

“Ouch!” he yelped. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have kissed you. I should have gotten some water.”

“It’s ok. I guess.” Justine said quietly.

“Are you ok? Do you feel dizzy at all?” he asked.

“No,” she whispered.

“Here, you should sit up.” He said, helping her sit up on the bench they were on. “I saw you punch that guy outside. You are pretty good!” he said. Justine turned red.

“Thanks!”

“It’s all over!!!” the announcer yelled. “All the ladies have been spoken for!”

The band started to play. Bruce looked at Justine and she looked back at him.

“Want to dance?” Bruce asked, holding out his hand.

“Yes, thank you.” Justine said taking it.

They stood up and walked to the dance floor. He held her close as they slowly danced around the floor. They talk about themselves and got to know each other. They had a couple drinks together, and many more dances. Justine had the time of her life. They talked and laughed together.

Finally, Planet Hollywood closed. He drove her to her hotel and walked her to her room.

“Justine” he asked shyly. “I was wondering…well if you wanted to get together tomorrow or something.” He said.

“Of course! Why wouldn’t I?” she asked smiling. “Do you want to come in for some coffee or something? Or we could watch TV or a movie or something.”

“It’s up to you.” He said.

“No its not! You own me until tomorrow at 10:30pm. The auction, remember?” She joked, laughing.

“Ok, sure, I'll come in!” he said.

They walked in and ordered a movie. They got popcorn, lots of it, and some root beer. They watched Gone With The Wind.

They were on the second tape ((TAPE??? Dear lord.)) and were laying on the floor. She was resting her head on his chest. She gradually fell asleep to his heart beat.

When he noticed she was asleep, he picked her up and tucked her into bed. He laid down beside her and kissed her forehead good night. She rolled over and wrapped her arms around him, and he finally fell asleep.