Ready, Steady, Go!: Runaway men

Have you ever realized how instructive can be living in a town? As there aren’t many distractions in a small town like mine, you have plenty of time to observe your neighbours’ behavior and their interesting relationships. And, after having dedicated quite a lot of time to this entertaining activity, I can’t help but wonder, when it comes to townie men, are they just old dogs pretending to be “modern” men? Do they just pretend they want clever and independent women when they are actually looking for the perfect housewife?

It was my dear friend Lola who suggested that gripping topic while we shared a beer with some friends. As most of them are really pretty, intelligent and with great jobs but singles, she saw it clear: they actually choose to be single to avoid the scary looks they got from men who feel threatened for their power! – I know, you might be thinking my friends are crazy, I thought so too. Unfortunately, I was wrong! – I was really shocked when the entire table agreed with Lola’s words and started to tell me about the difficulties they fight to get a date and their white lies when it comes to flirting.  Can you imagine a successful lawyer pretending to be a cashier so as to go on talking with a guy? An amazing engineer neglecting that she has a degree just to try and have a little bit of what she hopes to be great sex? I was laughing so much that they wanted to show me it was true and, unbelievable as it may sound, I must admit it was!!

I supposed it is easy to find those reactions in some kind of men so, instead of going to our usual pub, we went to a posh and nice one –that kind of place where you expect to meet business men who don’t feel intimidate for triumphant women- we ordered some cocktails –pretending to be the real Sex and the City girls- and we waited for the men to come. We didn’t have to wait much for the first group to attack. They were three attractive attorneys, so I thought it would be easy for them not to consider my friends as a threat. Could I be more mistaken? You should have seen their freaky faces when they listened to words such as engineer, nurse or designer. They looked like really frightened and, after a few seconds, they just rushed as in a stampede!!

I felt so disappointed! As a woman who has always had more male than female friends, I really trusted them when they used to tell me they liked women who are intelligent and autonomous. However, after my friends’ demonstration, I couldn’t help to admit that most of the women who match that definition in my town are not only single but also have to face men running away from them once they say what they do for a living.

Why do men lie to us? They tell us they want independent women and then, they look for a woman who stays at home cooking, cleaning, taking care of children and waiting for her man. Are they so cowardly that tell us they are happy with our autonomy when they aren’t? Is this a general tendency in nowadays men or just the general rule of men in my town? Whatever the answer is, in truth I must say that something is going wrong if you have to lie to get a date.  If a man can’t stand that you earn more money than him or that you are intelligent enough to have a good conversation with him then, are you sure you want to date him? If you have to be someone you are not to prevent a man from running away, is that the man you want in your life? I don’t think so, I might be a naïve  but I really think there are real men over there, men who are able to love us just as we are. So, next time you find a runaway man, don't feel ashamed of who you are, just smile because something better is waiting for you!