Tuesday, April 13, 2010

I Like Him As a Friend

Harry Burns: What I'm saying is - and this is not a come-on in any way, shape or form - is that men and women can't be friends because the sex part always gets in the way.
Sally Albright: That's not true. I have a number of men friends and there is no sex involved.
Harry Burns: No you don't.
Sally Albright: Yes I do.
Harry Burns: No you don't.
Sally Albright: Yes I do.
Harry Burns: You only think you do.
Sally Albright: You say I'm having sex with these men without my knowledge?
Harry Burns: No, what I'm saying is they all WANT to have sex with you.
Sally Albright: They do not.
Harry Burns: Do too.
Sally Albright: They do not.
Harry Burns: Do too.
Sally Albright: How do you know?
Harry Burns: Because no man can be friends with a woman that he finds attractive. He always wants to have sex with her.
Sally Albright: So, you're saying that a man can be friends with a woman he finds unattractive?
Harry Burns: No. You pretty much want to nail 'em too.

I don’t know if I agree with Harry Burns. I consider a lot of men to be my friends. And, I would like to think that they consider me their friend too. And, on top of that, I’d like to think that my male friends find me attractive (only because ideally everyone finds me attractive). And, hypothetically, even if all male friends do want to "nail" their female friends, as long as they keep it to themselves, I don't think it's a deal breaker. I mean, we females harbor certain fantasies about our male friends too- like they will be available to help when we move houses.

But, I'm pretty sure that most of society agrees with Harry. Every time I am hanging out with a guy friend, people assume we are a couple. The problem is when they ask something like, "How long have you two been together?" Is it me or is it kind of awkward when that happens because when I explain that we're not together, it sounds like I am saying, "Who? This guy? No way! I'd never sleep with him. I just keep him around so he'll help me when I move."

You know whom I really feel bad for? Each and other. People always assume they are together simply because they hang out in sentences together a lot. I've seen this a million times: eachother.

You guys, they are just close friends. There should be a space between them: each other. They never have and never will be together. In fact, they're sick of the constant misconception.

So are a and lot.

3 comments:

Jm Diaz said...

From Harry and Sally to eachother. Ahh, are you cringing yet? I know I am. Here, here: Each other, blah -blah-blah...

That post was very well put together. Always a pleasure to find entertaining reads :)

I came by way of Margot Kinberg.

pal shazar said...

alot. the very first spelling mistake i can recall. i was so sure i was correct. never did that again. p.s. i only ever got an 'a' in spelling and art. i love you!

WalksLikeAnEgyptian said...

This post, like many of your posts have done, made my day.