ONE HUNDRED WAYS

September 20, 2015

I was thinking this morning about gender role reinforcement – how men are supposed to suppress their self-preservation instincts (as in the game of chicken), while women are encouraged to be as vulnerable and helpless as they want (Eek – a mouse!)  Which led me to think of that wry song from “Wonderful Town” “One Hundred Ways to Lose A Man”. Which led me to think of the movie “Gentlemen’s Agreement” where the Gregory Peck character disguises himself as a Jew to investigate anti-Semitism; he’s engaged to a sweet young darling but a fellow journalist who is just as tough-minded and competent as he is holds a torch for him.  It looks for a while as if the latter is going to end up with him, after all, when the s.w.d. reveals that she’s a wee bit of a bigot; but no, s.w.d. apologizes, all is forgiven; and the jilted reporter goes off to write “One Hundred Ways to Lose A Man”.  

Anyhow – the sidewalk book sale was on again at High Park.  One of the books (which I bought) was Arthur Miller’s “Focus”; about a man who is mistaken for a Jew when he starts wearing glasses.  A plot not dissimilar to “Gentlemen’s Agreement” – both books were first published in the 40’s. 

Ate lunch at Jack Astor’s. The sports announcer on one of t.v. screens said the name “Lebron”, which being a black-identified name, reminded me of a conversation with a help desk guy named “Tyrell”.  Just as the latter name came into my head the announcer said “Tyrell”.