Although Gay never became Miss America, we all have our moments that make us believe that we can accomplish anything. Her moment started when Vanessa Williams became Miss America and when she first picked up and read the Sweet Valley series. Within the second paragraph of the reading, I start to relate Sweet Valley to my own home town, St. Petersburg. In my opinion, St. Pete is a hidden gem full of award winning beaches, perfect weather, top-rated restaurants, and astounding sunsets. Everything seems perfect in St. Pete, just as Gay thinks Sweet Valley is like no other. But, a perfect city wouldn't be perfect without perfect people. In high school, we all knew someone or a group of people that we could compare to the Wakefield twins.
Every high school has that "it" group where everyone sees past their flaws, imagining what it would be like to hold their status. Gay relates to us all when she imagines what it would be like to be accepted by people like the Wakefield twins. I know we all dream and think about what it would be like to be someone else, how different our lives would be. With that being said, Gay also brings it to our attention how feeling neglected or not good enough can have an effect on a child's developing brain. Even though I have only been out of high school for a year, my mind still wonders and asks that "what if" question. Gay is now an adult and she still mentions how she thinks about those popular kids and how they tore down her confidence.
Towards the end of the reading, Gay talks about how sometimes high expectations can lead to disappointment. For years she has been obsessed with Sweet Valley and the lives of the characters, and when the confidential series was published, she was unsatisfied. After reading this piece, I can relate to Gay and how her article relates to my everyday life. We all have our escapes and dreams.