Y’know is surprising how many men, having reached a certain age, find themselves entangled by their own temporary inability to cope with life; a lifetime that when examined and despite success or otherwise, simply disappoints and bewilders especially during an accidental emotional crisis.

Looking back they try to understand what forces brought them to this dull mediocrity and the sudden realisation that whatever ambition was in the driving seat, it was not the intended roadmap leading to their current situation. Marriage, babies, mortgage, work, why? Perhaps it’s a bit like walking into a room and forgetting why you went there; confusing, embarrassing and an apparent waste of time.

Guys like Squiddie exemplify what happens to rationality when, at such a watershed in life, a pretty young thing shows warmth and affection; the accident. The freshness of newfound affection and the swirling exhilaration created by a new and youthful sexual partner unfetters and liberates the soul with all the abandon of a bungee jumper. Anyone who has been ‘in love’ will remember this fleeting feeling. Those candle lit suppers; the light flickering in those adoring eyes. Dunking one’s celery in the salt that was so hilariously poured in her navel and massaging her nipples with a silver mustard spoon. [pick your own little quirks] Try finding any eroticism in that after twenty years of monogamous marriage. In the moment it’s wonderful yet its wonder will ebb and the trick, if there is one, is to see it for what it is; just another wet spot on the sheets and a road without a map.

Y’know is surprising how many men, having reached a certain age, find themselves entangled by their own temporary inability to cope with life; a lifetime that when examined and despite success or otherwise, simply disappoints and bewilders especially during an accidental emotional crisis. Nay, not at all surprising, we are not devo we are men.  And ultimately all lives disappoint and bewilder.

Looking back they try to understand what forces brought them to this dull mediocrity and the sudden realisation that whatever ambition was in the driving seat, it was not the intended roadmap leading to their current situation. Marriage, babies, mortgage, work, why? Perhaps it’s a bit like walking into a room and forgetting why you went there; confusing, embarrassing and an apparent waste of time.  It is a lack of focus, attention to detail and understanding that leads to marriage, babies, mortgages etc and that is the driving force behind mid aged rebellion, the 'how did I get this when I really wanted so much less and yet so much more' question!

Guys like Squiddie exemplify what happens to rationality when, at such a watershed in life, a pretty young thing shows warmth and affection; the accident. The freshness of newfound affection and the swirling exhilaration created by a new and youthful sexual partner unfetters and liberates the soul with all the abandon of a bungee jumper. Anyone who has been ‘in love’ will remember this fleeting feeling. Those candle lit suppers; the light flickering in those adoring eyes. Dunking one’s celery in the salt that was so hilariously poured in her navel and massaging her nipples with a silver mustard spoon. [pick your own little quirks] Try finding any eroticism in that after twenty years of monogamous marriage. In the moment it’s wonderful yet its wonder will ebb and the trick, if there is one, is to see it for what it is; just another wet spot on the sheets and a road without a map. Are bungee jumpers over compensting? Is monogamous marriage really monotonous marriage by a different name?  And should we all deny ourselves every wonderfulness life might luckily throw at us just so we can in the end curl up shrivelled and drained at deaths calling and hold out our bony hands and claim 'I resisted the temptation to live life and can now die miserably happy that I had such strength of character'.?