We had a power cut this morning, for about an hour. One of our neighbours knocked on the door to check if the power was off here, too, which saved me wondering if it was just something wrong with our wiring (which wouldn't surprise me, given the way things are set up in this house, but maybe that's an American thing...). He was annoyed because he'd just put a load of laundry in the drier, I was annoyed because I'd just started cleaning the bathrooms and there is no natural light in either of them.
See anything odd about this picture? Fifty years ago I doubt it would be two men stuck with the domestics to do and no electricity to do them with.
Anyway, this inversion of gender stereotypes pleased Mrs Walles very much when I told her about it. And not surprisingly because there are (especially in conservative places like this) expectations about men and women. Case in point: the bill in restaurants.
When you ask for the bill (or check - ooh, look at me) it comes to the table and invariably it will be placed in front of me. Because I'm the man. Even though we live in supposedly enlightened times and it's usually Mrs Walles doing the honours at the moment, it still comes to me. And not just in little ma and pa places, big chains, too, where you might think some carefully thought out company policy would make them put it in the middle of the table or something. Maybe they tried that and all the men felt insulted and emasculated. Or maybe nobody really thinks about it - except they do, because Mrs Walles does and I don't imagine she's alone. It's just strange.
Anyway, if you'll excuse me, I have to go and fold some clothes. A fella's work is never done!
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