CHAPTER THIRTY THREE #3
“I mean yeah, I see the appeal, in a fantasy kind of way, but living it? I couldn’t. The guilt, humiliation, and shame would eat me alive like a vat of acid. Let alone the idea of sitting around like a useless fuck while my girlfriend did everything for me? Jesus.”
“I think…” She hesitated, vaguely uncomfortable now.
“What?”
“I don’t want to offend you. Whenever we talk about this stuff, it feels like we’re drifting into sexism territory, and I don’t want you to feel like I’m taking a shot at you or you’re catching strays because we’re talking about a broad group of men.”
He sighed. “Don’t worry about that. I’m not one of the ‘not all men’ reactionaries who take it personally anytime a woman calls men on their bullshit.
I don’t know why, but I somehow got to the greener fields of ‘this complaint is about a behavior that too many–not all, but too many–men display, enough that it’s worth having a genuine societal conversation about’.
“I don’t do the things we’re angry about, so I don’t take it personally, because it isn’t about me.
And I also know that women can do this, too, and there are absolutely conversations to be had about that, but I think it isn’t necessarily a ‘human’ problem, in that when men do this and when women do this are for different reasons, so they need to be spoken of separately, because they’re both coming from separate places. ”
“That...is a really, really good way to put it,” she murmured.
“Right, so. The reason I keep coming back to when I ask this exact question of why it happens is that it seems like too many men think...this is the way it’s supposed to be?
Because that’s how it was in the past? Only that doesn’t even make sense.
Because how it was in the past was: men worked the hard jobs to pay the bills, women stayed at home to deal with all the home shit while men did this.
Except even in that world, the men were out there working backbreaking labor jobs all day, so it at least made sense why they’d want to come home and just fucking shut off.
But these guys aren’t even working jobs!
They aren’t even trying to. So how does the logic follow? ”
“I think we’re seeing a kind of logical extreme of this mentality.
I think the idea of being the ‘main earner’ of the household got tied up with being a man, and if you let that bake in terms of a society, it eventually morphs into ‘I deserve everything simply for being a man’.
It’s what I keep hearing from the fucking alpha bro influencers.
So literally just the fact that they have a dick becomes enough of a justification to have everything they want.
Except, a lot of people lack emotional intelligence and self-awareness, so they don’t even get that far mentality.
All they know is ‘I should get what I want’, and that’s enough justification...
or shit, maybe I’m off. Maybe something else is happening. ”
“I mean that has to be some of it,” Liz replied.
“But yeah, everything is so fucking complicated when it comes to emotional awareness, societal influence, parental influence, brain chemistry...there’s probably a million different reasons, but none of it ever feels justified, is the unifying theme.
Like, at the end of the day, it always boils down to: you are being lazy on purpose and taking advantage of your girlfriend or wife on purpose and you shouldn’t do that’. ”
She smiled over at him suddenly and put a hand on his leg.
“I’m so glad you aren’t showing any of those tendencies.
I always did wonder if I’d somehow end up dating a guy, what sacrifices I’d have to make.
Because I have always been curious, and the idea of bringing a guy into mine and Krystal’s relationship was appealing...
speaking of appealing, not to derail the topic… ”
“It’s a topic I’m fine with derailing.”
“At some point in the near future, would you humiliate and dominate me with Ellen? I really want that. She is...so tall. And has such a commanding presence.”
“God, is she and does she and yes. I want that really badly, too,” he replied.
“Mmm...are you getting hard again? Maybe I should deal with that,” she murmured.
He chuckled. “Um, I appreciate it, but I need to have something left for the party.”
“Oh yeah? You planning on nailing someone there?”
“Sadie.”
“Oh. Well, then. That sounds so hot. I’m jealous of you.”
“Are you?”
“Yes, I also have a fondness of cougars.”
“Perhaps we can find one to share. Maybe Sadie has a friend. Or Isabella.”
“Oh my God, am I so fucking jealous of you for that. I saw a picture of her and good lord is she so fucking beautiful,” Liz groaned.
“She really is,” he agreed.
“Maybe that can be a Valentine’s Day present...have you thought about that?”
He laughed. “Oh yes, I’ve been giving a shitload of thought to it. I have plans. I will be telling you all these plans rather soon.”
“Oh. I’m excited.”
“Me too, but in a nervous kind of way. It’s going be...a whole thing.”
“I’m sure it will be fine, honey.”
Gabe smiled as she said that. Up ahead was the exit he was looking for. He took it, bringing them closer to the party.