“Sheryl, please, why do we have to do this?” I pleaded, seated in my little office, wringing my hand
“Sheryl, please, why do we have to do this?” I pleaded, seated in my little office, wringing my hands, as another IG alert came through from one of my bosomy applicants. ‘Angie’, one of the most assertive of the pack, reaching out again. I nearly whined, feeling assaulted from all sides. What was up with these women?!? They wouldn’t leave me alone; it had been happening all morning. Why?? Why so many, so quickly, for jobs here?!? Honestly, we were nothing special, were we? Girls that looked like…this: Why would they want to work at some boring geriatrics practice? It didn’t make any sense, and their shameless, aggressively suggestive photos and videos had me in a worsening and worsening state. But…I tried to focus.. I tried to ignore them. I needed to talk to my wife, Sheryl, about the divorce papers with which she’d just served me. “Please, honey, why? Let’s-““You know perfectly well ‘why’,” my wife answered, her strong voice filling the room, issuing from my desk speakerphone. She had every reason to sound snide, petulant, hurt. But - she did not. She sounded firm, formidable, forceful. She was a corporate attorney, and this was her playing field: conflict. A pro, while I felt…inept. Outmatched. Feeble. A feeling I’d been getting used to these days, yes, but now coming to a head. Rubbed in my face.“And, ‘honey’,” she continued, letting the first bit of derision seep into her voice, “there is no ‘we’ in this. I am doing this. I am removing you from the equation. Finally, after years of this, after years of your disrespect, your infidelity, your infantile behavior, I am going to put you in your place.” I could picture her, in one of her offices, dressed smartly, frosted blonde hair: perfect. Gym-toned legs crossed aside a huge desk, idly twirling an ankle, dangling a killer pump.“Please, no, I’m sorry…” I continued, hoping against hope that I could change her mind somehow, “I’m sorry for being so weak, I’m sorry for everything I did…” I was being earnest, truthful…I was sorry. Sorry for the adulteries, sorry for the pain and betrayals of trust. Sorry for being such an idiot, not realizing what I had in her, and not realizing until it was too late what my life would be without her. How destitute I would be…morally, mentally, financially. My world would literally collapse. “…I’m begging you.”“I know, I can hear it in your voice,” she continued, “I can hear how afraid you are, afraid of what I’m going to do to you. Afraid of what you’ll be left with.” Though Sheryl’s businesslike tone was doing its best to disguise whatever thoughts and emotions she might be having, I had a good feeling what those might be…and they made me shiver. This was not the twenty-something year-old law student with the huge, brilliant smile and quick, weird wit, the girl I’d fallen in love with. This was a powerful, successful woman who was enjoying making the little man who’d wronged her squirm. “You shouldn’t be afraid of that as much as what will happen if you don’t sign those papers,” she continued, “I’m doing this now, before the election, and you should be thankful.”Darkly, a new shadow crept into the room. It settled over me, brought a chill to my bones. What was going to happen, if some of these women running for office actually won, got their way? I had admittedly been sort of avoiding the news, not reading what I should about the possibilities of this sea change, for months now. Maybe I was being foolish, my head in the sand? Was I underestimating what could come of all this?I glanced at my phone, more DMs had come through…Jesus, will these people just…stop…“I already know all the judges, I know all the courts.” she said, her confidence plainly coming through over the speakerphone, “After the election, when things change, this would be much harder for you. I’ll tell you this: the women in line to take over the judiciaries have big plans to right some old wrongs, and if I were you I’d sign this now while you have the chance.”My face flushing hot, eyes burning with imminent tears, I quivered, looking about the room. After being in Melissa’s spacious office, mine felt so small. But it wasn’t just that which made it seem like walls were closing in around me. What was my world coming to??I pictured it, for a brief second, what it could be like. Divorced from Sheryl, single, surrounded by an office-full of jigglebunnies at my beck and call. Would it be so bad? Would it be so terrible if all these female candidates won? If the Woman’s Party took over the courts, the government, the schools and banks? What would my world be then? What would it be like if I just let myself…fall into its lap ?No I can’t! I was going to fight this. I was going to show her the man I could be!Should I look at some of these girls, while we talk?No. Slide that away. This was not a fantasy. That thin stack papers from her attornies, on my desk, made it all too real.“Sheryl, please, let me try,” I said, “let me show you-““No, I’m tired of this. Sign the papers. Right away,” she demanded as I winced, feeling my throat tighten, “I want you to do it now. Don’t make me send Melissa in to make you.”Oh my god what?? “Hey, Sh-Sh-““Every day that goes by without you signing them is a day I’m going to make it harder for you,” she snapped, her clear voice crystallizing, suddenly petrifying me, “Face it, honey, I’m better at this than you, I have bigger lawyers than you. All I have to do is say the word and they’ll crush you. They’re itching to do it, to squash you under their big high heels. So go on, hang your head and sign the papers like a good little boy or they’ll tear you apart like harpies.”“P-p-please Sheryl,” I pleaded, nearly sobbing, “don’t do th-”“Quiet,” she commanded, any patience she had for me clearly exhausted, “Sign the papers soon or we’re going to make sure you get fucking smothered…”Just then, a text from Melissa…==================================Next post up at my Patreon -- source link