WEETZIE BAT

Punk flower-child Weetzie and her gay friend Dirk adventure through Hollywood's plastic fantasy land, finding solace from life's cruelties in their own loving household. Weetzie and Dirk become best friends during expeditions to nightclubs, movies, and the beach; then both find their true loves in true fairy-tale fashion--with the aid of a genie. Dirk meets Duck in a bar; Weetzie is ""discovered"" by ""My Secret Agent Lover Man""; the four set up housekeeping, and also make movies, together. Then Weetzie makes a baby with Dirk and Duck, since My Secret Agent Lover Man is reluctant to bring a child into this trouble-filled world. This is too much for M.S.A.L.M., who leaves, but comes back with a witch baby he's fathered; then Duck leaves when a friend dies of what must be AIDS, but he also returns; whatever ""happily ever after"" means, they all plan to try to achieve it together. Artful wordplay, wonderfully controlled use of the language of pop culture, and a story that seems about nothing much--but is, in fact, about very important things--make this a sad, happy, funny, and touching book. California cool, gay bars, and stereotypically bizarre life-styles become nearly irrelevent details: these people are a lot more real than Ken and Barbie, and their loyally and love--even under the tragic long shadow of the love-borne disease--are a triumph.