Jokes that Matter — A Belle Lettre by Wally Wallins
“So, what’s the problem with women who are nice?” I asked her. I sat on the tangerine-orange couch. I just got finished with my act at Joe Dirt’s Comedy Club and I sometimes stopped by on my way home — something I tended to do when Pearl’s husband was out of town.
“It’s a big problem,” Pearl said. She liked to read about the problems with our culture, and the problem that most concerned her that day was the socialization of civility.
“Hmm,” I said. I was distracted by Pearl’s three year old daughter, Ginger, who was putting red nail polish on the side of the couch. “So, why shouldn’t women be nice?” I asked again.
Pearl walked into the small living room and handed me the tea in a chipped “Kiss the Cook!” mug. “I told you,” Pearl answered. She ignored Ginger and sat down on the couch beside me.
“The book points out that women are taught from early on to be nice,” she said, “I mean, I was taught that from my mother. We remember those sorts of comments people make, and treat them like maxims when we grow up. That’s why I am so careful what I tell Ginger. I think it is better to say nothing than to possibly scar children for life.” Ginger proceeded to put red nail polish on the rust colored carpet.
