Chapter 28: When Desire Becomes Currency — Analyzing the Sugar Daddy as Arts Patron

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

The chapter opens with R selecting a pair of diamante cowboy boots from the online retailer Dollskill. R is in contact with a man who offers a budget for R's performance outfits, and that budget explicitly includes the cost of lingerie. R feels uneasy about the lingerie component and searches online for ways to avoid it. The narrator and R exchange a knowing, dark-eyed look, acknowledging the transactional nature of the arrangement without needing to speak.

The narrative then reflects on the importance of staying suspicious of generosity, especially during the holiday season. Generosity is described as an intoxicating weed, similar to mistletoe, and the chapter explores the temptation to gift oneself to someone special. However, the reality of such exchanges often feels like babysitting someone who wants to show off their possessions. R rehearses performing impressed reactions to things he has already seen—harbours, Kubrick films, cars—making his gasp sound as genuine as an orgasm.

To provoke his contact, R claims to love the song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" by the Beatles. The man responds that he likes the Beatles, which R finds disappointing. R refuses to tolerate long nights of what he calls chalky musical education. After the man purchases the cowboy boots, R blocks him. The chapter concludes with R's remark that if you want to walk the line, you have to know where to draw it, and he puts his gun away.

Key Events

R selects a pair of diamante cowboy boots on Dollskill.
The man offers a budget for performance outfits, including lingerie.
R feels nervous about the lingerie and searches online for ways to avoid it.
The narrator and R exchange a knowing look about the arrangement.
The chapter reflects on suspicion and the dynamics of holiday generosity.
R practices performing impressed reactions to things he has already seen.
R claims to love a Beatles song to provoke the man, who responds that he likes the Beatles.
After the man buys the boots, R blocks him.
R delivers a final line about knowing where to draw the line.

Character Development

R emerges as a figure who is both complicit in and resistant to transactional intimacy. He accepts the budget and the boots, but he draws a clear boundary around the lingerie. His nervousness and online search show a desire to maintain control over his own body and performance. The rehearsed gasp reveals his awareness that desire is often performed rather than felt, and his deliberate provocation with the Beatles song demonstrates a playful but pointed resistance to the man's expectations. Blocking the man after the purchase is an act of agency—R takes what he needs and then exits on his own terms. The narrator's shared look suggests a complicity and understanding between the two, positioning the narrator as an observer who is also aware of the game being played.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Transactional intimacy: The chapter frames the relationship between R and the man as an exchange of money for performance and attention, with the boots and budget serving as explicit currency.
Arts patronage as metaphor: The title suggests that sugar daddy arrangements are akin to arts patronage, where financial support comes with expectations of performance and gratitude.
Performance of desire: R's rehearsed gasp and his claim about the Beatles song highlight how desire is often staged rather than authentic.
Boundaries and consent: R's refusal of lingerie and his eventual blocking of the man illustrate the importance of setting limits within transactional relationships.
Generosity as control: The chapter describes generosity as an intoxicating weed, implying that gifts can be a means of exerting power over the recipient.
Commodification of self: R's body and reactions are treated as commodities to be purchased, but he resists full commodification by drawing lines.
Agency and resistance: R's actions—searching for ways to avoid lingerie, provoking the man, and blocking him—demonstrate a form of agency within a constrained situation.
Suspicion as self-protection: The narrative advises staying suspicious of generosity, framing suspicion as a necessary defense against exploitation.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter offers a sharp, unflinching look at the economics of desire and the performance required in transactional relationships. It complicates the idea of the sugar daddy as a simple patron by showing the emotional labor and strategic maneuvering involved. R's actions—especially his refusal of lingerie and his final blocking—assert a form of agency that challenges the power imbalance inherent in such arrangements. The chapter also critiques the holiday season's emphasis on giving, suggesting that generosity can be a tool of control rather than genuine care. By using the metaphor of arts patronage, the chapter invites readers to consider how all forms of patronage—whether in art, romance, or commerce—come with strings attached. R's final line about knowing where to draw the line underscores the importance of self-protection and boundary-setting in any relationship where power and money are at play.

Study Questions and Answers

1. How does R's reaction to the lingerie reveal his approach to the transactional relationship?

R's nervousness about the lingerie and his online search for ways to avoid it show that he is willing to accept financial support but not at the cost of his own comfort or bodily autonomy. He is strategic about what he will and will not provide, drawing a clear line between performance and personal violation. This sets the stage for his later decision to block the man after the purchase, demonstrating that he is in control of the terms of the exchange.

2. What does the metaphor of arts patronage suggest about the dynamics of the relationship?

The title compares a sugar daddy to an arts patron, implying that the man provides resources in exchange for a performance. Just as a patron might commission a work of art, the man commissions R's performance outfits and expects a certain reaction. This metaphor highlights the transactional nature of the relationship and the way that financial support can come with expectations of gratitude and display. It also suggests that R, like an artist, must navigate the tension between creative autonomy and the demands of a patron.

3. Why does R block the man after the boots are purchased, and what does this reveal about his character?

R blocks the man immediately after the purchase, indicating that he views the relationship as purely transactional and has no interest in ongoing connection. This action reveals his pragmatism and his refusal to be drawn into emotional entanglement or further obligation. It also shows that he is willing to take what he needs and then exit, asserting his agency and protecting himself from potential manipulation. His final line about knowing where to draw the line reinforces this sense of self-awareness and boundary-setting.