I just completed reading this book, The Alleys Of Eden by Robert Olen Butler. It's a story of this US Army deserter, Clifford Wilkes, who stays in this tiny little apartment with his girlfriend Lanh. The both of them really try to keep the existence of Cliff in the apartment as a secret, except from the old ladies they have as neighbours.

Anyway, they escape right at the last minute, and the US Marine doesn't let Lanh in at first, so she runs off, until Cliff runs and takes her and they leap onto the last helicopter.

When they reach America, Cliff gets rid of all his IDs and his money, and he also gave himself a new name: Cliff Pell. Then he goes to his old editor of a newspaper he used to work for, and the editor gets him a new ID: Clifford Smith.

So he starts life again, with Lanh in a small apartment. Then all things change, as they begin struggling to fit into the mechanisms of normal life, where Lanh has to learn English, quickly, and Cliff has to find a job.

They drift apart, as they seem not to be able to fit in, as Lanh wishes not to learn English and speak with the negihbours, but Cliff wishes for her to, and slowly Lanh doesn't hold any more allure for Cliff. I mean, he's not interested.



Everyone seems to change under different circumstances. So does love and friendships. Cliff promised Lanh he'd love her still even if she changed in America, but somehow, even all those promises just seem not to be able to hold up under the test of life-changing circumstances...Love doesn't hold up when people change, especially when the one that is loved is another facet of the same person...

Circumstances change. People change. Facets of life change. Routines are sometimes demolished. Nothing stays the same. Not even love. Nor other emotions.