The Hunt

It is a commonly held belief among single women that the "best" males of our species are either already taken or otherwise unavailable.

[That is to say, "gay"].

Whether there's any truth to this belief -- or it's merely a scapegoat for the terrified & lonely -- the fact remains that specific traits once touted as a means of "advertising" to other homosexual men are falling to the wayside.

Or to put it more plainly: as an alternative lifestyle is increasingly embraced by the mainstream, there is less need for what is often termed "flamboyant" dress or behavior. The earring in the right ear, the stereotypical gait, the lisp, etc. These things are less and less common in daily life, particularly in large cities where the pickings are certainly more plentiful.

And while this is a net positive for society as a whole (acceptance is most definitely a good thing), this nevertheless frustrates those aforementioned females.

Take, for example, three 20-something girls strolling through a store and spying three 20 or 30-something men walking nearby.

Each well-groomed with that undeniable look of the well-rounded intellectual: smart but witty; bookish but well-versed in the art of team sports; a creative-spirit, thrilled to leave the city for a weekend of camping.

One of the females looks to her friend, and they communicate their shared interest by pursing glossy lips and raising perfectly plucked brows. One female tips her head in the general direction of the three men. Her friend nods, their full attention on the Alpha males and their well-adorned shopping carts.

"Oh. My. God," says one of the men, turning to his male companion and delicately touching his arm. "This will look so cute at our place."

One female looks at the other, offering a quick shake of her head. The second tucks in the left corner of her lip and offers an audible exhale. The third -- visibly stunned -- stands painstakingly still, blinking.

And blinking.

Before turning her back on the men with a sigh that no gods dared to hear.