One of my favorite movies (and books) is Breakfast at Tiffany's. You've got Audrey, crazy parties, a cranky cat named Cat and one seriously handsome writer (Hello, Paul!). It's a fun movie, but the undercurrent of sadness is also appealing, in a strange way. Holly really is lost and doesn't seem to be able to find herself for most of the movie. And even in the end, I'm sure Paul had his work cut out for him once the credits rolled.
One of my favorite scenes in the movie is when Holly tells Paul about having the mean reds. When he confuses them for the blues, she says this great line:
"The blues are because you're getting fat and maybe it's been raining too long, you're just sad that's all. The mean reds are horrible. Suddenly you're afraid and you don't know what you're afraid of. Do you ever get that feeling?"
Sometimes after I finish a book, I get a case of the mean reds. I'm not afraid, but I spend so much time invested in characters and plot, and as the pages dwindle, I know it will all be over soon. And while I love rereading a favorite book, there's nothing quite like that first reading, indulging in all of the details and learning right along with the characters. It's especially bad when I finish a series that I really love. Yes, Harry Potter is one of those series. I grew up reading those books, and saying goodbye to Harry's story was like saying goodbye to one of my friends. And while I can read them any time I want, I'll never be able to recreate sobbing in the back seat of my dad's car when one of my favorite characters died.
All of this leads me to one of my recent reads, which gave me such a bad case of the mean reds that emergency frozen yogurt was in order. Yes, I'm talking about The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson. I've only read a few of her books, but The Shades of London series has become a fast favorite. I won't spoil the ending of book two, referred to as "The Thing" by Maureen on Twitter (If you don't follow her...just do. Seriously.), but it totally took me by surprise, and I'm still not over it. There are two books left, so not all hope is lost, but it will be a very, very long wait for the next book.
The only solution to a book-induced case of the mean reds? Buy copies for all of your friends and insist they read them so they can share in your misery. You can even create a tiny book nerd support group. You're welcome, friends.