Staff Writer Jade Gerald
Men and women today often claim that the other is guilty of sending mixed messages – saying one thing on the one hand and then doing the exact opposite. And it’s true that we’re all sometimes guilty of not practising what we preach. But when it comes to not getting the message in relationships – are women slightly more guilty than men?
Joanne met Michael at a product launch party they both happened to be attending and both soon recognised the signs of mutual attraction. He was tall and charming she was attentive – threw her head back and laughed at all his jokes. ‘We’ll have some fun – yeah’? ‘Yes’ she agreed enthusiastically.
The relationship quickly moved from fun and frolics on the dance floor to passionate trysts whenever Michael’s schedule allowed. And to begin with Joanne was on cloud nine but all too soon their brief encounters left her wanting more, much-more. Michael sensed what was coming but he was a good-time guy she knew that ‘why have a wife when you could have a life’ was his philosophy. His idea of settling down was a night on the sofa with his boys, football and a couple of beers for company.
But she’d be able to convince him – wouldn’t she? And herein lies the problem are we sometimes guilty of ignoring a man’s actions which clearly tell us whether he wants a relationship or not, in the hope that once he samples our cooking, our lovemaking or our homemaking skills he’ll change his mind. Do we in-spite of his sometimes obvious proclamations at not wanting a relationship – soldier on anyway?
Sometimes things need to be said...Clearly!
By now Joanne had been seeing Michael for a few months and was being driven to distraction at the fact that he hadn’t yet taken the bait. There was nothing left for her to do, she would have to up her game and ask him the question she’d been trying to avoid asking him the entire time they’d been together – where were they going? But the where they were going conversation soon turned into the how do you feel about me and we don’t see each other enough conversation also. ‘Why do you have to get so heavy, just take a step back and chill out’ Michael told her, but little did he know that after having spent most of their relationship lying down Joanne was tired of chilling out. She’d had enough and his answers to her questions would determine what she did next. Only on that night Joanne never got the answers she hoped for and deep down she knew she never would.
Can you relate to this story…does anything ring a bell…let me know.
