Play It As It Lays: Chapter 3 Summary & Analysis

Maria repeats her name to Freddy Chaikin’s receptionist. She feels suddenly insecure about coming here without an appointment, since it’s something that “only people in trouble” do, and she doesn’t want Freddy to start avoiding her. When the receptionist tells Maria that Freddy is in the projection room, Maria says she’ll talk to him tomorrow and leaves.

In the elevator, Maria sees an actor she recognizes with his agent. The agent smiles at her and raves about Carter’s dailies. Maria smiles back but recognizes the agent’s words as a signal to the actor, who pauses before telling Maria that her purse is open, giving her a look of “sexual appreciation.” Maria knows that the actor’s look is directed at “Carter Lang’s wife,” rather than at Maria herself. 

When Maria returns home, she thinks about calling Les Goodwin to tell him about the interaction with the actor but thinks better of it. Instead, she goes upstairs and lays down on Kate’s bed, clutching her blanket and trying to push aside her feelings of “dread.”