Crazy Little Thing Called Love

“‘No, don’t come up,’ she said at the hotel. She had rung and the door was unlatched.

‘Really?’

‘No. Please.’

‘Good night, Brett,’ I said. ‘I’m sorry you feel rotten.’

‘Good night, Jake. Good night, darling. I won’t see you again.’ We kissed standing at the door. She pushed me away. We kissed again. ‘Oh, don’t!’ Brett said.

She turned quickly and went into the hotel.”

-The Sun Also Rises, p 71

I feel it is about time for me to vent my frustration over the rather annoyingly confusing relationship between Brett and Jake. It has been indicated that the two were once involved in some sort of romantic relationship. It has also been revealed that the two still love each other—or at least they claim to still love each other. Brett and Jake have also shared a total of four kisses within seventy-one pages. Despite these facts, Brett is engaged, and Jake does not seem to care.

Now, I can definitely understand former lovers remaining close friends with each other. I can also understand the statements that they still love each other. The kisses, however, contradict their current situation of separation. If Brett is engaged, and if Jake thinks Brett’s fiancé Mike is as great a person as he claims, then why do they insist on complicating these matters? They both have acknowledged the fact that nothing is going to happen between the two of them, so this romantic masochism seems utterly pointless.