The other half

This post was inspired by the post at Strange Pilgram. I know it's an odd take off of that, but it moved my brain in this direction.


I want to be a fly on the wall when the dads get together. My circle of friends is a combination of stay-at-home moms and dads and their work outside-the-home dads and moms. We have occasion to get together in a variety of combinations. As couples, men's night, women's night, park play groups, family play groups. It is fascinating. Me being a woman, I see the women's side of things and the couples, but I always wonder about poker night.


Poker night is a mystical beast. I wish I could see our men in their native habitat and how things play out. We know men don't have the same topics of discussion as we do. Or do they? Do they talk about their wives? Do they talk about sports? That's a tough one, because I am sure at least half of the poker guys couldn't care less about sports teams. Do they talk about their kids and the weird things they do? I cannot even imagine that it could be as interesting as any time I get together with the girls. I've asked before what the topics of conversation are, not because I want to pry, but just curiosity. I really would like to see how guys relate.


I guess it has always been that way. I've never really known what groups of guys do or are interested in. There's the generic sports talk, or, if your guy leans toward the geek, the generic vid game/role playing talk. There might be sci fi, or taking things apart or putting them together. But really, is that all? And when a woman asks, the man shrugs it off as if it is so unimportant.


Occasionally, the womenfolk hear a snippet here and there. It's usually something shocking or grandly funny. The good thing is the guys do talk to us. It spreads like wildfire through the feminine grapevine. Then us ladies, as we get together more often than the gentlemen, have a little rehash and a giggle about whatever that latest tidbit was.


Why is it the women can pull things together and see each other more often? Is it something we crave and make an effort for? I just realized that the men haven't had a poker night since June, or maybe May. The women have had three book clubs, a couple girls' night out, maybe a girls' night in (can't remember), some play time at the park. It's not always the same combination of people, but the same people rotate in and out. There is definitely a list of gals, and roughly, their husbands participate in poker night. We care if it has been too long between bar hops, but they are so nonchalant. I don't get that either, because it is always great to blow off steam with a few people who know the trials of your sex.


If anyone has been the fly on the wall with a gathering of men, or is a man who would be happy to enlighten us, I would love to hear what their normal ordinary conversation topics are. Please leave a comment.