Tricia Pimental

book cover

Rabbit Trail: How a Former
Playboy Bunny Found Her Way

Rabbit Trail: How a Former Playboy Bunny Found Her Way reveals what it means to be spiritually searching and never finding. Set against the backdrop of Brooklyn in the
provincial 1950’s, the sexual revolution of the 60’s and 70’s, and Hollywood in the 80’s, a young girl encounters a
diverse cast of characters which shapes her quest, culminating in the one who points to the ultimate answer.

In the beginning chapters, Genesis and Early Education,
the reader is introduced to the people and circumstances that lead the central character to leave home. In chapter three, Graduate School, she finds herself seduced by an older man, which opens the door to an escape to the West Coast and California Dreamin’ in chapter four. Her job-a-month plan, drug experimentation, and dabbling in Buddhism do not provide answers to any questions, but perhaps a steady job will provide a better basis. Rabbit Trail, chapter five, shares with the reader an inside look at the life of a Playboy Bunny, though the search for deeper meaning in her life never ends.

Nor is it ever dull. When later delving into New Age practices and Hinduism, she encounters a (literally) shocking monk. Both a memoir and an exposé of false beliefs, Rabbit Trail is a testament to the risks and rewards of looking for answers to what is real, both in this life and the next. It is a must-read in this era of the non-seeker, whose mantra is simply, “Your truth is your truth, and mine is mine.”

Rabbit Trail: How a Former Playboy Bunny Found Her Way
Chapter Summary

Chapter 1 Genesis

The day I got kicked out of heaven was no ordinary day, not by a long shot. After years of doing my best, following rules, and living clean, there it was. And news like that travels fast. I was sure my grandparents knew because, after all, they were already up there. Daddy and Mommy would probably find out about it soon, but only if I told my brother Doug, so if I just kept quiet about it, I might be able to coast for awhile. It wasn’t going to be easy; I had a hard time not talking about things that bothered me. Confessing to Father Francis was a prime example.

Chapter 3 Graduate School

The food Nana prepared was the heal-your-soul, clog-your-artery type that is as treacherous as it is satisfying. She deposited an enormous chunk of butter in a heavy iron skillet and then slathered one side of a slice of Wonder Bread with more butter. This was placed face down in the pan and topped with several slices of Old English sharp cheddar cheese and then topped with another piece of bread that had been buttered on the outside to facilitate browning. Accompanied by potato salad and Manhattan sweet pickles, this was followed by a healthy slice of frosted Sara Lee chocolate cake, all washed down with a tumbler of ice cold whole milk. In retrospect, it was amazing that I could push myself up from the table and make my way back to class.

Chapter Five Rabbit Trail

My adolescent dreams of being Miss Rheingold (or even Miss America!) were revived annually when the Bunny of the Year contest took place. My superiors, who trusted my judgment when dealing with the media and, therefore, so gave me all those plum promotions, were always hopeful that I would win and continue to prove myself a good spokesperson for Playboy Enterprises. Modeled after the Miss America Pageant, there were evening gown competitions and Bunny outfit competitions, integrated with question and answer sessions.
On March 3, 1973, the emcee was Jackie Vernon. For the first, puff, question, Jackie asked me what my pet peeve was. “It drives me crazy when people take ice cubes out of a tray and don’t fill it back up with water,” I responded, beaming at the audience. Okay, so it wasn’t an answer that would shake the world’s foundation, but then neither was the question.

Chapter Nine Play of Consciousness

A personable young man welcomed us, and explained that we would be learning some of the teachings of Swami Muktananda, an eminent Hindu who had helped many thousands of converts to develop their spiritual lives. Central to the teaching was the study of kundalini energy. Monks apparently meditate for years in an attempt to awaken this mysterious force, the “serpent” that lies dormant in the lower part of the spine. We, however, could have instant gratification!