Since I continue to be both the man and the woman of the house, I often make treks to Home Depot. It has turned out to be another reliable spot in terms of men flirting with me. Between the swimming holes, the farm, Home Depot, and my weekly tennis games, I wouldn’t say it’s completely out of the question that I could one day meet a nice man here.
There are other avenues, however, in which my optimism has vanished so completely that they seem to me to be the equivalent of believing in Santa Claus.
Several of my older, single female friends from around the country have recently called with the news that, through job promotions and social networking, they may soon be attending prestigious social functions that could lead to meeting prominent men.
I completely understand their excitement and have been there myself, but my last job placed me in those types of settings, and my feeling was the prominent class has about as much use for an older, non-wealthy, non-famous single woman as they do a dodo bird.
These women are lovely, educated, resourceful, and talented, and perhaps they will succeed where I failed. I’ll eat my words, if so. But I tend to agree with the author of The Woman Alone— going forward will be about me changing my relationship with society as opposed to hoping for its warm embrace.
thebitterbabe 