I'm just a Gift to the Women of this world...

But not in the same way Lou Reed thinks he is.

Something very odd is happening to me. Women of all ages are happy to listen to my advice, which never used to happen. I feel a disturbance in the natural order, but the best one that's ever happened to me.

These said women aren't necessarily romantically interested in me. But it's not like they're ignoring me either. Suddenly, they think my gift ideas for their musician boyfriends and tips to find the best musical gifts is sound advice, they actually want to talk to me instead of ignore me, and middle aged to elderly women think I'm a charming young man who's more than happy to inform them about which bus to catch in order to get to Ryde Shops.

I think it started when I rebuked a young man who was making sexist remarks to some girls I knew, with the cutting insult "a chauvinist pig like you deserves to be gutted and displayed in a butcher's window". It was quite effective in keeping the chap quiet. And now girls have realised that the reason why I'm not hitting on them is not because I'm shy but because I actually respect them, no matter how blonde their hair is.

It started to really get weird when I was admiring a young Indian/Persian student's fine female form, not ogling, when she didn't slap me for it, but gave me a knowing look of acknowledgment, and smiled gently at me. There was something about her that struck my heart with a flutter. It was her attitude. Without saying a word, she let me know that she was beautiful, was comfortable with her body, and didn't at all mind admiration of it in a civilised manner. Then I realised that what I admired in a woman was not so much a person to comfort me all the time when I'm sad, but to share in the joy of an independent confidence.

This is all very confusing. I go from no female attention to having a horde of them listening to my words of wisdom. We'll have to see if it continues.

- Jacob Martin
AKA Jake of All Trades