Thursday, 19 May 2011

Men in Midlife Crisis

I met Rick when walking out of Burgos. He was with a group of French pelegrinos having walked from Arles. 10km later we found ourselves walking at the same pace towards the next village. Rick was delighted to have caught me up because apparently I 'ticked all his boxes'. 'Oh' I said and 'what might they be?' Without a second thought he said 'nice tits, nice legs, nice bum, nice smile, nice face, nice hair'
'Well they are very different to my boxes then Rick, which are based on what comes out of a man´s mouth' At this he clasps his hand to his mouth and says 'So have I blown it already then?. 'Nearly I say', but as it is we continue to walk together for the rest of the day.
During this time we discuss many things (what´s new?) and it turns out Rick is adopted and had waited until his adoptive parents have died to find out who his biological parents are. Rick is from North Yorkshire and is a classic Yorkshire man. He doesn´t do emotion much but the tears well up as he tells his tale and it a real privilige that he 'lets me in'. Eventually we return to his opening comments and I object that  a woman is more than a piece of meat. He agrees with this but insists that men are absolutely hard-wired to look a female up and down, do a physical assessment and pronounce judgement to themselves inside their heads, quicker than a computer can process any information. He goes further and says ALL men are like this and if they deny it they are lying. I have heard this sort of argument before, 'I have this sort of behaviour and so does everyone else'. Since I am not a man I am not in a strong position to disagree. Our discussion goes much deeper into what fidelity and faithfulness is and what it is not. Rick is an educated man who is apparently happily married and yet repeatedly throughout the day he makes inappropriate suggestive remaks about how much he would like to take this relationship much further. He is also a church goer to the great and good Cof E and yet none of this seems to make an impact on how he actually behaves.
After dinner that night he says 'I don´t suppose it would make any difference if I actually told you straight how attracted to you I am' Difference to what I think, but actually say ' Do you remember making that wedding vow before your wife and God which said 'forsaking ALL OTHERS, well I am one of the others and you know Rick there will be many more. Many more attractive women that you will think 'what if' and all it will bring is deep pain and misery to all concerned if you follow these desires through. It is not worth it, not to yourself, your wife or your family. Goodnight'.
I saw him 3 days later with a pretty girl from Wisconsin. He was using the same moves, the same tactics the same Mr. Romeo at work. He was vaguely embarrased by my presence. I wondered just how long he is going to play with fire before he takes it further and burns all those concerned. I doubted the girl had any idea what he was going through in terms of his life stage. The girl  just seemed happy to be entertained and waited on by an attentive male and was only in her early thirties.
I had said my piece already to him and his life and choices were just that -his. I walked away praying that his marriage would remain intact and that God would open his eyes to what he is doing before it too late.

4 comments:

  1. Hi Kate,
    Thinking of you so much. I hope Rick remembers the wise things you said to him and makes the right choices but as you say only he can make them.

    We have SO enjoyed having your fab son Josh to stay. He has really enjoyed himself I think and has been a real pleasure to have. He is welcome back whenever he likes.

    The house is full of lovely young people tonight and very multi cultural. Akli from Lybia who you met Easter day and two of Salems daughters from Algeria. John and I are leaving them to it we would only cramp their style.

    It is lovely to read all your adventures and share in some of it all with you. Praying for your safety, strong feet and God's awesome presence with you. Love you lots Karen

    ReplyDelete
  2. question just to put out there ; do women have mid-life crises too? If so, how might they differ to men's?

    ReplyDelete
  3. HA! Have you on Google Maps - but HE has you in the palm of His hand xxxxxxxxxx Clan Jarvis xxxxxxxxx

    ReplyDelete
  4. 'Full of grace and truth' .... this is a glimpse of what that must look like (for the Ricks of the world).
    Chris praying daily for your feet + bed to rest upon.

    ReplyDelete