(urth) Laundress and Star (AEG spoilers)

[Henry Eissler]

    You know, I'm sure you're on to something about the address.
    As far as we know, she resides in only 4 places through the course 
of the book:
    1) Her apartment in Kingsport, which, as you point out, changes from 
the 3rd floor to the 5th, from 301 to 3A, and from W. Arbor to E. Arbor.
    2) Her hotel room in Springfield.
    3) Her hotel room in Kololahi., supposedly in the South Pacific- but 
when Sharon (who may be lying) is asked what time it is in Kingsport, 
it's just about the same. (p. 236)  (remember that Cassie's a late riser.)
    4) Her room at the palace.  I guess she's only there for a couple of 
days.
    Only the one in Kingsport goes through these changes?  (And 
Kingsport is in the same timezone as Great Takanga?)
    At the very end of the book, in the conversation with Ambassador 
Klauser, he points out two things- time is an illusion, and the laws of 
physics are not the same everywhere.

    Forgive, please, a digression:
    India clearly knew about the diamond bracelet before Cassie received 
it (p. 140).  Then says she was there when Wally gave it (p. 174).  And 
much earlier, when she's talking about the gold bracelet, Gideon seems 
to know already about the diamond bracelet (p. 74).  And, of course, 
when Wally gives it, he's just a holographic projection.
    During that conversation, he calls her "Queen Cassiopeia of 
Takanga", which is what prompts her shock that he 'knows her real 
name'.  Of course, the play 'Dating the Volcano God' imitates her life 
after the Springfield run- that could be easily explained by the fact 
that Bill (Wally) wrote the play.
    She doesn't recognize Lt. Aaberg (Larsberg?) when she sees him 
outside her window, even though he looks so much like Scott.  And she 
forgets Mickey the stage manager's name, though she's known and worked 
with him for months- if not years.
     I haven't counted the times Cassie wakes up and thinks that what 
happened previously either was or might have been a dream.  At one 
point, she says she thinks she might still be in the dream/nightmare (p. 
205).
    All through my first reading, I couldn't escape the suspicion, that 
Cassie's whole life is some elaborate episode of  'Candid Camera'  (or 
'Punkd'), or 'The Truman Show'.  That she's at the center of some 
spectacle, and Bill Reis is the only one not in on it.
    Now you mention reality changing around her, and I can't help but 
wonder if that's not what's going on- that she's sculpting reality 
around her (probably unconciously ) to be centered on her.  Maybe it is 
all a dream; or much of it.
    In short, I have no idea.  But I needed to get those questions (at 
least) off my chest.

    Please, share more of your insights.  I'll shut up now.
    ---H

Dave Tallman wrote:
> I'm almost convinced the strange changes in Cassie's address mean 
> something. Early on, she's:
>
> 1) On West Arbor (p. 81).
> 2) Next to apartment 3B (p. 52), which implies it's a small building 
> or a low floor. It's only a step from the elevator to her door (p. 52).
> 3) Eighteen blocks from the successful Sharon Bench, probably on the 
> poor side of town (p. 24).
> 4) Within a short walk of a Baskin-Robbins (p. 43). It's not a big, 
> upscale store since only a single surly teenager is on duty there.
>
> Later:
> 1) She has a doorman who calls to screen her visitors (p. 116).
> 2) She's on the fifth floor (p. 111).
> 3) The address is 181 East Arbor Boulevard, apartment 301 (p. 249).
>
> She didn't just move to a fancier place with her success. She had the 
> same upstairs neighbor, Brian Pickins (p. 250).
>
> I think reality is being warped to make her surroundings fit with 
> being a star. People start think she is famous and ask for autographs 
> before they even know her name.  She's referred to on TV by Sharon as 
> a "famous actress" after giving only one outstanding performance (p. 89).
>
> This may be part of the magic Chase worked to make her a star. 
> Probably Reis would have been suspicious of an actress out of nowhere 
> who suddenly became talented overnight. He might suspect the change 
> was a temporary glamor. But if her circumstances and people's memories 
> were altered to fit, then she might be better bait.