PART. VI -Buttered Side Down

In “One of the Old Girls” from “Buttered Side Down,” we meet Effie Bauer, an accomplished and prosperous department store employee well-versed in the latest trends in fashion and personal adornment. Despite her professional success, Effie’s personal life has not followed the conventional path of early marriage and family; she has remained single into middle age, not out of choice, but due to a lack of opportunity in her younger years. Effie is portrayed as a capable and independent woman, yet one who harbors a hidden longing for domestic bliss and companionship.

Gabe I. Marks, a regular visitor to Chicago and an admirer of Effie, proposes marriage during one of their dinner dates, marking their twenty-fifth outing together. Initially, Effie rejects his proposal, citing financial stability and a life of independence as reasons she cannot embrace a late-in-life marriage starting from economic scratch. Despite her professional achievement and self-sufficiency, a serious illness—typhoid—leads Effie to reassess her life’s priorities, recognizing the value of companionship and intimacy over material success and autonomy.

After her recovery, Gabe renews his proposal, and Effie, moved by her realization and Gabe’s steadfast interest, accepts. This change signifies a shift in Effie’s values, acknowledging that the emotional fulfillment of a loving relationship can outweigh the accolades of career success and financial independence. Their story concludes on an optimistic note, with Effie’s return to work marked by a renewed sense of self and a hopeful future shared with Gabe.

This narrative subtly critiques societal expectations of women, highlighting the pressures to conform to specific roles and timelines. Through Effie’s character, the chapter explores themes of loneliness, change, and the enduring human need for connection, irrespective of age or societal norms.