Monday, April 11, 2011

Another One


Bar None

            Angelina Jolie, Meg Ryan, and Oprah walk into a bar.  Who gets noticed?  Who gets laid?  Who intimidates?  Who is approachable? 
George Clooney, Bradley Cooper, and Bill Gates walk into a bar.  Who leaves with the most phone numbers?
Depends, doesn’t it?  Such speculations can lead to lively discussions and friendly arguments.  It can be fun to make fantasy lists and suspend reality for a while.  These discussions reveal values and judgments, intentional or not. 
My college roommate and I periodically meet for lunch in a town halfway between where we live.  She was the blonde, wholesome, outdoor type, while I was the brunette, wholesome, indoor type.  We had our moments of dating and popularity.  A few years ago during lunch, we walked past the bar to go to the restroom.  When we returned to our table, my roommate said, “You know you’ve gotten old when men in bars don’t look at you any more.” 
There is a freedom and disappointment in becoming invisible to men.  At first it’s a shock to no longer be noticed.  I never realized that I took it for granted.  Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not saying I was ever a beauty who turned heads and stopped conversation when I entered a room.  Not by a long shot.  Men had to get to know me to be interested in me.  I’m just saying that they looked and not in repulsion.  Being cute was about the best I could hope for as a short, petite girl with curly hair and a smartass sense of humor.  I didn’t know I’d miss it because I didn’t know my power. 
I learned to accept being invisible and have even embraced it.  The freedom that comes with my new status works out well.  I like living alone and am no longer interested in dating or being in a romantic relationship, so I’m not sending out that vibe anymore.  It was unexpected and not so bad. 

5 comments:

the dogs' mother said...

The sexual harassment at work - I don't miss that. Always by men in their 60s (seemed to me at the time) they obviously didn't learn to age with grace, the old goats.

Mind Of Mine said...

I am a dude, a gay dude. I can so relate....

Wonder Man said...

I like that men had to know me to want me

Joy said...

Froggy: Yes! So true! It still happens. This guy my age tells me stuff he says, and I've seen him in action and get so embarrassed because he doesn't get it at all how offensive he can be. I tried to tell him, but he apparently thought I just didn't get how charming he is. Yeah, really.

MoM: Yeah, what can we say?

WM: Thanks. That's how I saw it.

Sam said...

How the hell did I miss this post? Could it be I didn't notice it? Invisible to men? Amen sister.
When you described yourself the first image that popped in to my head? Rizzo from Grease.
Gawd love a petite curly headed smart ass sense of humor gal!