On Behalf of Women Everywhere

Throughout the course of my life, even since childhood, I have frequently asked, “What is a real man?’ I’ve had a few good examples. I’ve mostly seen a lot of bad examples. What I detest the most about men is the fact that some of them think they speak for all of us. Well….they don’t speak for me. I’ve learned a thing or two about being a man in life. It always helps to learn about being a man, particularly if you are one.

When a man says he’s been married to the same woman for 35 years and he’s learned a lot about women since he’s been married to his wife, I have my doubts. What he’s really saying is that he’s learned a lot about the “woman” that he’s been married to. If he’s been learning a lot about “other women,” he’s really in trouble.

When a man says something stupid like, “We all know that men like fast cars and guns.” Try saying to a gun, “Come on baby light my fire.” I guarantee you, the gun will be entirely silent. I own a few guns myself. They’re just guns. That’s all.

Then there are the dweebs who begin their motivational speeches saying how they once lost 30 million dollars and now they are selling shoes. Is there some meaning to this? By the way, he gets a standing ovation for not going insane and for now possibly being humble. Interesting story about becoming a man.

We also have a group of the few, the proud and the brave. I’m grateful for the American military forces. But what worries me is that word “few.” I would think a woman would hope that her man is at least brave enough to face life, himself, her and the future. Being brave starts with looking in the mirror everyday and admitting what you can see. Some men just can’t ever seem to get their eyes focused.

Select breeds of Homo sapiens out there have these little macho collaboration meetings. They dress up, wear their best suits, even polish their shoes (or have someone else do it for them), smoke a few cigars, have a few drinks and show off the pretty little china doll they’ve bought so other Homo sapiens can say, “He’s one heck of a guy. Wish I had what he has!” They also make their fame and fortune known, as well as the fact that they once gave a few bucks to charities. That’s the real icing on the cake.

The point to all of this ladies is that some men want to portray themselves as four miles wide, when in reality; they’re only two inches deep. If I want to know what a man has done, I’ll read his bio. If I want to know who a man is, I’ll watch how he lives. When what a man says, does, feels and thinks all lines up together, that’s progress. When it’s all consistent… even better. When a man says he “can’t” speak for all men, he’s probably telling the truth. And on behalf of THIS man….well, I do think I speak for him and he doesn’t ever want another man to tell you what you have no reason to believe in the first place. This man does not need or want another man to ever speak for him. I can do it myself.

David Hammock. Copyright © 2008. All Rights Reserved.