Status Updates From Spring Fire (Lesbian Pulp F...

I am starting to think this is the most depressing story I have ever read and not in a "break my heart" good way, just in a terrible "the hell is this" way.

It had all blown lip (sic) and left her burned. And Leda had struck the match to the situation. [a typo from the text scan, it must have said "it had all blown up" in the original]

"I suppose you're trying to make the better of the bitter," she said, "but you don't sound very happy."
"Most of it's my own fault," Mitch answered. "It's because of the way I am."
"Look, Mitch! You're a healthy, normal American girl, by Jupiter, and that bunch is from hunger."

This is actually part of my Patricia Highsmith binge. Spring Fire was a pulp paperback by her one-time lover Marijane Meaker, who had it published in 1952. That was the same year that Highsmith's "The Price of Salt" aka "Carol" was released. As opposed to Highsmith's more optimistic relationship, Meaker's goes down the road of repression and tragedy.