When you say A, you must say B, or even C. One contribution I never miss is the Dear Christine column that appears most days in the Nation. I am sometimes tempted to write to her and lay my soul bare, but certain people may object.
Dear Christine, the women have it wrong. Men are not too over-concerned about sex; they are searching for the missing rib with which they were first made. Ever since God took it away, men have missed it. Not about sex at all.
Mr Ralph Boyce can well attest to it, because he has a library full of male complaints. He will tell you that men are from Mars while women are from Venus, miles apart.
It is pathetic to read about a problem that seems to be developing in our country and indeed throughout the world. Women are voicing concern, as can be seen in the newspapers. Men have remained mostly silent.
Some women are doing something about it (get a married man); also some men (get a frustrated woman). Women, after the encounter with a male who fails to cut the ice, have to either shut shop or try a male who has been previously assessed and sanctioned by society.
These men are also searching for the missing rib, but are prepared to be more diligent in their search and willing to pick up any slack left by uncaring or homophobic men.
In the real scheme of things, that is not right. Each time the latter occurs, people condemn the relationship, but I believe that the jury is out on that matter, so prevalent it is.
Men have truly missed the rib. Women have the same missing rib because they were supposed to be made (with one noticeable exception) in the same image as men. If any one ever played rugby or football or cricket and happened to get struck in that vital spot (the solar plexus) one would know that the absence of the rib causes excruciating pain.
Some men are worried, unreasonably so, that women are seeking and getting equality, and even superiority. I have dealt with this matter already in a previous article where
I contended that women are now bearing children, suffering pain monthly and sweating by “thy” brow.
No longer are they content to walk three paces behind men and voice sarcastic comments under their breath, but walk provocatively in front and smile.
From the cradle to the grave, men are now being indoctrinated to accept the coaching from women and later bossing. Men have decided that they have been accused of the confusion and wars in the world and have decided to indicate to women “it is all your”.
The women have “carte blanche” to run the world, the governments and the households, while men have embarked on a mission of prospecting for the missing rib wherever it can be found. And what better way? The explanation is very simple. El Dorado!
Women are not taking this lying down and are baulking at allowing the rib to be found. Men have taken a stand; they are reassessing things like (a) minding their “pick’ny”, (b) paying child support, (c) sticking to one relationship and (d) saying “I love you” after the second encounter.
Look at Solomon. He went on a serious quest in many parts of the world, and it is said, and it is evident, that he was a wise man.
I treat the subject lightly, but it is becoming a major problem. A society needs order, and order needs discipline, and discipline needs responsible men and women. We are looking at a worst situation if the women were to decide that enough is enough and that they are giving up on men.
Just how will society procreate then? So men, if you were to find the lost rib, cherish it and prospect no further.
By the way, on a quite different matter, stores are absorbing the 2.5 per cent increase in Value Added Tax (VAT). This means that they will continue to charge the
15 per cent price on VAT items.
This means that because prices are effectively lower, as far as the store is concerned, the 17.5 per cent VAT will earn .5 per cent or 20 per cent less than the expected take from VAT – maybe as much as $35 million less than projected.
• Harry Russell is a retired banker.
