BSC # 41: Mary Anne vs. Logan

By Ann M. Martin. Published February 1991.

Well, as if the title didn’t tell you enough, the book just starts off badly for Mary Anne and Logan’s relationship. Mary Anne first goes over the fights they’ve had. Then Logan calls as she’s on her way out the door, and tries to get her to back out of sitting for Jenny that night. Then he calls her while she’s on the job a few times. The last time he finally gets to set up a date for the next night, deciding everything himself.

Jenny has been getting a lot of “grown-up” presents, to make her feel like a big girl before the new baby arrives. But she totally knows she’s being bribed.

At the next meeting, Mr. P. calls and asks for three sitters to help at a surprise baby shower for Mrs. P. (If this is going to be a Prezzioso-heavy book, I’m not writing it out every time.) Mary Anne, Claudia, and Stacey take the job.

Mary Anne is settling in for an afternoon of reading in front of the fire, when Logan just shows up, wanting to go ice-skating. Mary Anne gives in, and goes along. They have a pretty good time, until Mary Anne’s feet start freezing. Then Logan wants to help some kids make a snowman (do you wanna build a snowman?...sorry), and then make snow angels. Mary Anne says she’s really cold, so he buys them hot chocolate. It doesn’t help much, though, and Mary Anne is really fucking cold when Logan suggests skating again. Mary Anne finally stands up for herself, and says she wants to go home. Logan gets a huffy about it, but agrees.

Kristy sits for the younger Thomas-Brewers. Most of them make Valentines, but Karen is depressed. She had a fight with Ricky, and now they’re not getting married. Sad. Kristy tells her to get a book, and she comes back with The Dead Bird. Kristy asks her if she couldn’t find something more cheerful, and she says no. It makes me laugh.

Mary Anne has another date with Logan, and he’s being a pushy douche again. But to be fair, Mary Anne doesn’t stick up for herself, either. He orders for her at dinner, and then tries to make her go see Halloween Part Three. Yeah, I bet Richard would love her seeing that. Mary Anne says she’d rather just go home.

When she gets home, Richard wants to have a talk with her. He thinks she’s spending too much time with Logan. She actually agrees, and says she’s not always happy when she’s with him. So she calls Logan and tells him they need to cool it for a few weeks, and then they’ll pick things back up. He agrees, but doesn’t sound too happy about it. They hang up, and she cries. Of course.

Things are awkward at school; they pretty much ignore each other. But at the end of the day they at least say hi. Mary Anne can’t quit thinking about him. Dawn reminds her she did the right thing and stood up for herself.

Mal sits for Jenny, and she’s got more grown-up stuff to show off. But one she really doesn’t like. It’s a baby doll, but it’s not really a toy. Jenny demonstrates how Mrs. P. has taught her to change diapers and feed the baby. She makes her practice everyday. She’s four! I get wanting to have her feel involved, but this just sounds like she’s training her. Mal tries to make her feel better by talking about how awesome being the oldest is, but Jenny doesn’t really buy it. She just knows she won’t have all of her parents’ attention anymore.

A week after “cooling off”, Mary Anne is a wreck. She spent the whole afternoon crying. She finally tells the rest of the BSC at their meeting. Then, Logan calls, and asks if Mary Anne can sit on Valentine’s Day for his brother and sister. They miss her. She agrees, but all she can think about is that Logan has plans for Valentine’s Day.

Mary Anne sits for Jenny, who is pretending to be a baby. She even wants Mary Anne to put a diaper on her. Mary Anne says no, and tells her to put it back. Then Mary Anne goes on daydreaming ridiculous things about Logan and his new girlfriend. Then she realizes it’s quiet, and discovers Jenny has trashed the baby’s room. She makes her clean it all up, and gets an idea. She does start treating Jenny like a baby, making her do things that babies do, like sitting in a highchair, drinking warm milk, and going to bed early. Jenny soon tires of the game, and feels sorry for babies.

The day of the surprise baby shower comes, and Jenny’s a super brat the entire day. But Mary Anne’s the one who has to deal with it; her parents have no idea. Jenny really hates that she gets little presents while the baby gets big ones. She screams that she hates the baby.

On Valentine’s evening, Mary Anne heads over to Logan’s to baby-sit. When she gets there, Logan opens the door wearing a tux. Mary Anne thinks this is just too much to have to witness. But it turns out, his parents and siblings are down in the basement, and he’s planned this whole night for them. He has dinner, a rose, a box of chocolates, and a bracelet for Mary Anne. Sigh. Poor guy, I get that he is trying, but he’s coming on a bit strong here. At the end of the evening, Mary Anne says she really did mean it about cooling things down, and Logan says they did; now he’s warming things back up. Ugh. Once again, Mary Anne doesn’t stand up for herself.

Jessi has an emergency sitting job for Jenny; the baby is on its way. Jenny’s not even up yet when her parents leave. When she does get up, she’s not too happy. But she jumps up every time the phone rings to talk to her dad, and she’s ready for them to come home. Jessi figures out the reason; it’s so that the baby doesn’t get too much time with her parents alone. Finally Mr. P. calls to let them know it’s a girl named Andrea. Jenny wanted a brother.

Mary Anne sits for her on the day Mr. P. is bringing them home. Jenny is still pissed off. Mary Anne teaches her a silly game called Flamingo Fight. It involves both of them being blindfolded. I’m not sure that’s the greatest sitting tactic there, Mary Anne. And then when she hears her parents pull up, Jenny runs straight for the car, still blindfolded. Oy. But anyway, when Jenny sees Andrea, and gets to hold her, she falls in love. So all is well, like you probably knew it would be.

On her way home, Mary Anne thinks a lot about relationships. She realizes Logan just doesn’t listen to her, and isn’t letting her be an independent person. So she knows what she needs to do. She calls him and asks him to meet her at the park. When he gets there, she explains that he really should have consulted her about warming things back up first, since she was the one who wanted to cool things down. Then she gives him the bracelet back, and breaks up with him for good. They say goodbye, with their voices breaking.

And that is that.

o   Claudia. Gross. She has a brown stain on her blankets. It turns out to be chocolate, but still. I’m surprised that doesn’t happen to her more.

o   Mary Anne says she had planned on graduating eighth grade before planning her wedding. Ha, good luck with that, Mary Anne.