The Difference

Julia and I went shopping yesterday. On the way back we passed a huge lake. People often fish from the bank and some people fish from boats. For the first time we saw a pleasure craft--an open kayak, paddling near to the raised bank that we drove along, so that we could see the two rowers quite well.

The kayak was rowed by a man and a woman. We did not notice the guy. The woman was very big, wearing a skimpy bathing suit in a small kayak.

Julia said, with awe in her voice, "That woman is so brave . . ."

I mentally finished her sentence, ". . . she's so big, but chancing riding in that tiny kayak."

Julia finished her sentence, " . . . she so big, but wearing that skimpy bathing suit."

For me, the fact that the woman risked death, since the kayak could tip over and she could drown, made her brave. But from Julia's point of view, being seen wearing that bathing suit was worse than death, so the woman was brave.

And that is the difference between men and women.