Tracy Flick Exists

Tracy Flick Exists. She does. I just saw her walking down 5th Avenue this morning.

Or should I say a woman who embodied Tracy Flick to a T as she walked?

You remember the character Tracy Flick from the book Election (published way back in 1998) and the movie that came out in 1999, where Tracy Flick was played brilliantly by Reese Witherspoon.

This Tracy Flick whom I saw on 5th Avenue this morning walked with purpose, with a severe step, checking her bum as she walked by all the large windows. She moved with complete confidence across all crosswalks — almost as confident as me.

I had about 20 years on her and so, of course, Flick eventually passed me up, but I got a good look at her for a bit of time to recognize who her movie character was. She’s the one who tries to hard, the one who appears confident, but you can tell it’s surface only — this gal could break down and cry at any moment.

She wore a severe bun with her golden hair pulled up tight — not one little hair slipping out of the military precision of that bun. She wore a casual white cotton button down shirt with a pair of neat jeans that hugged her curves. She was looking left, right, and center at herself as she walked. She was clean cut, fresh, and severe.

Her shoes had a dash of red across them with a brand name written on their sides. As we stood at the crosswalk, it said Saint Laurent. She was tight and tough, but trying to be hip.

Ah! It was Tracy Flick — a young woman with places to go, things to achieve, people to please — chock full of anxiousness and just a slight jagged edge of anger. Tracy Flick is a brilliantly drawn character who resonates through the decades. This type of person exists.

Poor thing. I wanted to give her my card — she could obviously use a good therapist. My guess — that’s not going to happen. Just hold it together — just like your tight little bun — and life will fall into line as it should.

Of course, if you read the sequel, Tracy Flick Can’t Win, you know how her story turns out. Not so great. She should call a therapist to be sure to save herself from all the misery to come.

Ah, I just took Flick in reassured that this character is alive and well in Madame’s land. I was never a Tracy Flick — too soft, too trusting, too something. But you know the type and I do too.

Well, she’s alive and well walking down 5th Avenue if you wanted to know.