The First Time

I swear if the wind had blown the other way, I would have been

No matter how much the sexes have absorbed of each other’s sensibilities, a man will always be expected to be a man

Gwynne had given me a first-class example of how ineffectual men can be when it comes to the art of expressing themselves.

From an evolutionary point of view, this makes sense. Being candid has the potential to weaken your position in ‘the pack’

Unfortunately, youth doesn’t always equip us to articulate ourselves.

Rob’s story spoke volumes about the

you’ve got to be relaxed with the person you’re with, otherwise it’s too much hassle with the power struggles

She had been cool, under control, self-assured, while I’d been emotional, afraid and out of control.

my life I had been the penetrator and even when the woman was aggressive, there was no doubt as to who was doing what to whom

This was not like my first experience all those years ago, from which I took away feelings of power and exhilaration. On the contrary, this mostly involved powerlessness – being pursued, penetrated and under the control of another person.