F. William Broome

AUTHORITY ON WOMEN

Just like a man, he barks to me loudly in
his, “You know I’m right, so listen to me,”
And, I brace for another tirade of opinion,
half-truths and cockeyed wild reasoning
of little depth, but, he fools me. He begins
a spiel of common horse sense, starting
with praise for women serving the federal
government; singling out Condoleezza Rice
for her work as Secretary of State. Here’s a
guy who, a few short years ago, told jokes
disparaging women in every possible way.
He moves on to commend women leaders
in our state, both elected and appointed.
I couldn’t wait for an end to the names
and plaudits. At last, I was able to ask for
an explanation of an amazing turnabout
for him toward women in any position
other than in the narrow traditional roles.
Demanding more than usual vocal crap:
I wanted Genesis and Revelations for a
full understanding, and to convince me.
His hemming and hawing ends abruptly
when his wife casually interrupts us to
ask if her husband has told me the latest
news; that their oldest daughter, the one
who is the President of State University,
is to announce for the US Senate seat,
recently vacated; and, moreover, that the
Governor has, today, appointed her to
serve the weeks remaining in the term?