The Balance of the Species

“I mean to say, I know perfectly well that I've got, roughly speaking, half the amount of brain a normal bloke ought to possess. And when a girl comes along who has about twice the regular allowance, she too often makes a bee line for me with the love light in her eyes. I don't know how to account for it, but it is so."

"It may be Nature's provision for maintaining the balance of the species, sir.” 
― P.G. Wodehouse (Jeeves and Wooster)

Maeve and I took a trip to our local metro zoo yesterday, with a couple of good friends. On our way to the sea lions and seals, we saw a peacock doing his best to attract the Ladies. He was flashing his big tail all over, crying his piteous HE-ELP at the top of his little peacock lungs. My mom friend and I told our daughters, he's looking for a girlfriend.

But then we saw a pea-hen approach, quickly, in his direction, and that peacock split faster than you could say 'hormones suck'. He took off running the other direction like one of the cheetahs had gotten loose. And my mom friend and I were left scratching our heads. We tried to explain to our girls that sometimes the person you like just doesn't like you back.

And then she turned to me and said, Boy, I don't miss high school at all. And boy, I certainly don't, either. Like the characters in When Harry Met Sally said, please tell me I'll never have to be 'out there' again. All that showing off, then running away, chasing and not catching, never knowing if you'll ever be truly seen and loved. It was not fun, I would not do it again, if given the opportunity.

All that come-hither nonsense is for the birds.