Is there a better basis for a long-lasting relationship than a false sense of nostalgia fueled by a case of bourbon?


Not according to Mavis Gary. Mavis has come back to her hometown of Mercury, MN, to try and win back Buddy Slade, her boyfriend of 13 years ago. Now in her thirties, single, about to be out of work, and with a fairly well-developed alcohol addiction, Mavis has convinced herself that Buddy is the one she is meant to be with. And upon learning that he and his wife have just become parents for the first time, she convinces herself that he must be secretly miserable and that she’s the one that can change that. After first squeezing in one last drunken one-night-stand she wakes up, throws some things (including Dolce, her long-suffering pomeranian) into a bag and hits the road for home. She checks into a hotel and tells no one except Buddy of her arrival; her mom only discovers Mavis is home when she happens to drive by her in town.

Mavis immediately calls Buddy to see when they can meet and he suggests a place for the following evening. Even before they’ve met their differences are evident: Mavis is envisioning romantic, late night cocktails at a dark sultry bar; Buddy suggests a 6PM meeting at Champion McCoy’s, a brightly lit family-style restaurant. Convinced it won’t take much to get their relationship back on track, Mavis slips on her sluttiest dress and a lot of concealer and heads out to meet her destiny.

But Mavis is in for a rude awakening. Buddy moved on from their relationship years ago, and is in a completely different place now. His thoughts are clearly with his wife and new baby, and he sees Mavis as nothing more than an old friend. Undaunted, Mavis pulls out every trick she has to try and seduce him back into her bleak, boozy life, but Buddy is not only uninterested, he’s barely even aware of what she’s up to.

It is clear to everyone from the start that Mavis has no chance with Buddy. She’s not remotely his type, and he is completely besotted with his beautiful family. What’s also clear is that even if Mavis were to succeed in seducing her former lover, she still wouldn’t be happy. Just as Scarlett pined for Ashley, Mavis has spent years pining for someone that she can’t have and that is completely wrong for her. Buddy is sweet, simple and totally without guile, while Mavis is all jagged edges and bitter sarcasm.Buddy has responsibilities; he’s not interested in a lifestyle that involves drinking every night. Most of all Buddy is truly happy, while Mavis is simmering with repressed anger which frequently boils over. The two are completely incompatible, but while Buddy knows it, Mavis does not.

She does eventually have a small awakening, but it’s going to take at least 12 steps and a lot of therapy before Mavis is ready for a relationship with anyone. Right now she can’t even take care of Dolce, or herself, for that matter.

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