Let’s get this out of the way. I don’t know who wrote chapters 1 – 13 but I know they are there and I had to start somewhere. No doubt there are infinitely more…but I digress.
Recently a friend told a story of finding an old photo. It was taken at a princess party; a party the friend gave for her two small daughters. The girls, now adults, were dressed as a Disney princess and a cartoon character respectively, and the friend and her sister had donned old prom dresses to join in the moment. It was so long ago, the girls don’t even remember and the friend’s observation was, ‘I can’t believe I wore a dress with a giant bow on my ass to the prom’.
Fast forward to the Mars and Venus part of the story. Any woman hearing this would understand that the important parts of this story are: a) a mother and an aunt going the extra mile to dress up to give a party to two girls who will never remember it, and b) another woman has experienced the ‘aha’ moment when she sees herself in an outfit she originally felt was smokin’ hot only to realize she had a giant bow on her ass. But in a man’s world, these elements are lost forever…conversation as follows:
Wife: “So, talked to my friend X today and she told me she found a picture of her and her sister at the princess party she gave for her girls. The girls don’t remember and she can’t believe she is in a picture wearing a dress with a giant bow on her ass.”
Husband: “Wow, most women can’t fit into their prom dresses.”
Wife: “Yeah, well I guess she did, but she couldn’t believe the picture she found.”
Husband: “How many years after the prom was this?”
Wife: “I don’t know…who cares…she wasn’t talking about prom. It was the picture of her with her girls in princess dresses and her dress with the bow on her ass.”
Husband: “That doesn’t happen very often.”
Wife: “What?”
Husband: “That women fit in to their prom dresses.”
Wife: “That’s not the point! She didn’t call to tell me the dress fit. It obviously fit because she was wearing it. Why are you fixated on this? It’s about the princess party and what she wore to be a part of it with her daughters.”
Husband: “Exactly! She wore a prom dress most people couldn’t fit into after they had children.”
Wife: “NO! She wore a dress with a giant bow on the ass so her daughters could have their princess party! ” Then, walking away, “Never mind…”
Husband: Muttering as he retreats to the other room, “I wonder how many women even keep their prom dress, I mean, it will never fit.”
And the mystery of Mars, Venus, and what makes each of us tick continues….