Tough to be a woman. Impossible to live without women.

I just overheard a phone call that expresses the essence of man and woman. Wife’s friend wants to have lunch with her and her husband. From what I can glean, this is one of those annoying, pestering, occasional friends who offer little in terms of conversational value. Wife doesn’t want to go to lunch but feels obligated.

Husband tells wife not to go. He says it again and again. Finally he adds that regardless of her decision, he is not going. No, he’s not. And she shouldn't either. She doesn’t want to go. She doesn’t like this woman very much.  She never picks up the tab. She shouldn’t be bullied into lunch with someone she doesn't like.

No. He’s not going, even if she is. Husband tells wife to lie to the woman. Or be honest. He doesn’t care. He’s not going. He doesn’t care what she tells the woman. Tell her he’s busy. Tell her he doesn’t like her. He doesn’t care. He doesn’t need an excuse. He’s not going. He doesn’t care how awkward it might be. He’s not going. He’ll be happy never to see this friend again.

Then husband hangs up on wife and walks away, muttering under his breath about how much he hates cell phones.

This leads me to one of my universal beliefs on the essence of man and woman:

If left to their own devices, men will do what is most appropriate for them. Women do what is most appropriate for everyone else.

This is why men are universally happier than women, a fact which has been proven time and time again in study after study.

BUT without women, society would ultimately dissolve into an ugly, embittered, self-centered battle over who can care less about who.

An unfortunate Catch-22 for the women of the world.