Character Profile:
DeeDee the Wild Child

 

 
DeeDee is a joy to write for. I love her so much, it’s almost painful for me… and I’ll probably wander off and ramble on too long about her, but eh, that’s what this blog is for, right?

Both DeeDee and Dani are based on some cousins of mine... kinda redneck, blue collar, hard-working girls who outshined—and outlived—their husbands. They were among my favorite role models when I was a kid and as I’ve grown old I’ve come to appreciate them more than I ever let them know, which is sad to say. They didn't call me "Sissy" but they knew I was getting crap from my stepmother (and my passive dad was letting her get away with it) so whenever I was allowed to visit that side of the family they coddled and babied me to some degree. They also gave me grief because I was too sensitive for their liking. (Sound familiar?) I now know that when they were giving me grief, it wasn’t cruel—not like I was getting at home—but it was because they wanted me to toughen up, make me a stronger person. They taught me a lot about life and they protected me as best they could. That was life in my part of the world in the 1960s.

Anywho, I love DeeDee because, like my cousins, she earned her way through life. She’s gone through so much and is in many ways the perfect woman. She’s independent and strong and funny and don’t take crap off anybody; she’s gorgeous and sexy; vain in a self-deprecating way—if that makes any sense—and definitely not afraid of axle grease or sweat; she’s rough and tough, but vulnerable enough to cry when the time is right.

And like Donna Summer, she works hard for her money. She works in a traditionally male-dominated build and kicks ass at it, not because of social politics, but because A) that’s her first job and she found out she’s good at it and B) she truly is a grease monkey at heart and is passionate about cars—her vintage G-500 Shelby Mustang in particular.

Like I said, she’s endured a lot. The sisters’ father is absent and when their mother died Vivian had to step in and raise Colleen and DeeDee (aka Deirdre), setting the tone for resentment and strife between the sisters that lasted for years. Then came a high school pregnancy that produced Dani and DeeDee figuring out how she was going to live her life. Hard work, a little mentorship from Uncle Liam (you’ll find out more about him later) and the O’brien stubborn streak tempered with humor did the trick, apparently.

Ah, DeeDee the wild child–who names a girl like that “Deirdre” anyway? Lol No wonder she rebelled. She doesn’t just smoke–she smolders. She looks like a 1950s pinup model and talks like a sailor. She loves feminine things but works in a man’s world. So many little things about her to love: her voice tainted from smoking too much, her addiction to root beer, her Rosie the Riveter hairstyle and workshirts tied in a knot beneath her breasts.

One description of DeeDee sticks in my head… it’s from "Polishing to Perfection" and touches on the conflict 'twixt her love for feminine things and her masculine trade: [Ethan had] never really paid much attention before, but his aunt's hands were not like Colleen's—they were nicked and faintly scarred and strong from pulling fan belts and turning wrenches, but when she held his fingers and cleaned off the red polish, she was as precise and delicate as any ballerina tying a slipper string.

Then she goes on to give Ethan some great life advice: "You'll catch sight of your hands and think, 'Well, hello there, darlings… where have you been all my life?'" She looked up and winked. "Doesn't hurt anything to be pleased by yourself, Ethan. The world will try to take that away. Keep a little for you."

One more example about her being good for Ethan, it’s from the chapter "An Embarrassing Development": DeeDee takes the father’s role in explaining about “the birds and the bees” to Ethan in a way that only she can. I adore that scene, especially when she reveals her own experience and how Dani came into this world. For all of her tough talk and brashness, she opens up about her lowest point in life and how she overcame it. She uses her life experience, not aborting Dani, taking on the responsibility of making her way in the world and raising a baby… tempers it with her unique sense of humor… and gives her confused thirteen year old nephew insights into how to navigate the world that my old man could never conceive.

I also love her references to older pop culture figures like Jane Russel and James Dean and Audrey Hepburn… her affinity for old rock music, risque dancing (love how she teaches Ethan to shoulder and boob shimmy lol!)... all of these little things make her real and they warm my heart…

I could go on and on about DeeDee and the O’brien sisters forever. And I will in future blog entries. I just love those girls, even Vivian… (but more on her later.) It pains me that I’ll never write about them again, not in story form, at least. I think the ending of Ethan’s world sets them up kindly, better than I ever hoped, so their story is done and complete.

If I ever take on another project like this it will be about another boy, with another family dynamic, in a different environment and with a completely different story. But that doesn’t keep me from missing my girls. Or Ethan. Or anyone else in his world.

Stay warm!

d.