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May 19, 2005
Gender differences -- heard in passing
One of my attorneys -- a sharp, dedicated, passionate young woman -- was on the phone making plans for lunch. She was trying to get the person she was meeting to give her directions to the restaurant, one she had never been to before, very very slowly.
"I'm just awful at directions. Ask me which way is 'north' and nine times out of ten, I just won't know."
She was just so upfront about it I started to laugh. Do you recall the movie, Finding Nemo? With the twins over regularly, I've seen some of their fave movies over and over again. Great writing -- in a scene where dad, Marlin, is getting frantic because he's convinced they've been swimming in circles, Dorie tries to get him to "ask for directions." When he balks, her almost throw away line is "what is it about men and asking for directions?" 
I admit, if I'm outside, or driving, I'm pretty good at figuring out the n/s/e/w thingy. Stick me in a building with lots of similar halls and few windows and I had better have a pocket full of breadcrumbs or someone will find me cowering and whimpering in a corner somewhere. On the other hand, my husband seems to have an internal compass and is able to n/s/e/w orient himself in almost any setting. It's uncanny.
Obviously, this trait varies from individual to individual. However, if men usually are better at the internal compass thing than women, it may go to explaining the stereotypical exchange of the Dorie variety.
Women are not expected to be good, so we, like the attorney above, have no problem admitting we can be easily lost. But is it that men feel that trail blazing is somehow encoded in their genes and each failure to lead the wagon train to the next waterhole is an aspersion on their masculine nature?
Come on, guys. Fess up. When you have been lost, what did you do? How did it make you feel? AND how would you like us, the woman at your side, react in such a situation?
Posted by Darleen at May 19, 2005 12:29 PM
Comments
Yes, it's the manly thing to know where you're taking your woman. You're a wimpy little man if you don't know where you are.
Good enough explanation for you?
Posted by: Digger at May 25, 2005 03:11 AM