Countless studies have been conducted to discern which is truly the stronger sex in the human race. Our differences, parsed into an endless array of categories by “discerning” scientists have been examined under innumerable tests so that the scientists (most likely men) could determine the champion of the battle of the sexes.
“In this corner, brawn, height, and a stubborn inability to ask for directions.”
“And in the opposing corner…” well, where to start?
Let me break it down with a bit of simple, old-fashioned observation. Like many a home, ours has little people in it called children. These little people bring men and women alike great pain and suffering in life, but also great joy. That is why we keep them. Alas, they also bring numerous diseases home with them – primarily from places these little ones congregate, such as schools, playgrounds, and the Gap.
This past December, our youngest managed to get a cold and decided, as one does, to share it with the family. One by one, everyone in the household succumbed to the cold, even the ayis. After a week or so, everyone recovered from the illness; everyone, except me. For three weeks I was stricken with the head cold from hell – earaches, sinus infections, and eventually even a slight fever. I went through enough tissue boxes to take down a Douglas Fir tree and I am still not entirely well.
My point is, the women recovered quite quickly and with little drop in productivity, while I lost at least two weeks of work and I doubt my brain is fully functional yet. I could claim some mysterious illness, but the Doc declared it a simple case of sinusitis.
Am I the tallest? Yes. But I’m definitely not the strongest.
Photo:ManOnPHI (flickr)
