“I think the role of the writer is to write something and just let the conversation be. There were moments when I wanted to jump in and tell people the “right way” to read the story.”

Interesting for her to say that because you can have a story, a narrative that can be read by just about anyone and interpreted differently by whomever reads it. I read both “Cat Person,” and “The Good Guy,” and found them both to be decent pieces and very well-thought-out, with an ambiguous ending in both.

There is no right or wrong way to read something. What Rachel did was take a snippet of aspects of modern-post-disco, Studio 54, 80’s dating that defines where we are in society today (Tinder, Grinder, Match) and apply the same aspects of love and relationships that we always have had. I’ve dated women old enough to be my mother and young enough to be “Margot.” I’m 60, so I lived through the end of the sexual revolution, the 80’s, 90’s (barely) and now the first fifth of the new century. The one aspect of “Cat Person” I could relate to most closely was my own relationship with “K,” who was 13 years younger than me with a daughter who I brought a house with. The instant the house was secure, I became expendable. Much in the same way that Robert did.

I am looking forward to reading more of Rachel’s stuff. Thank you for the interview.