Yes, that is a pair of pocket pliers. When you have an unruly eyebrow hair and testosterone coursing through your fingers, pliers are the tool for the job.
These antics are normal amongst brothers, and boyish cousins. There is a one-upmanship to our time together that only results in more belly laughter.
While our mothers and aunts can only shake their heads and pray, our uncles chuckle in the background.
There is an expectation of wit and orneriness in our family. When the guys outnumber the gals 4 to 1, stories are bound to happen. As my mother loves to say, "why must you be so MANLY?" All with a smile on her face of course.
While the stories continue to accumulate through the years, the strong women to balance the manliness is slowly infiltrating.
I say that facetiously because we all knew it was bound to happen. Handsome fellas pursue hot ladies.
What I love about this time of life, is watching strong men, marry strong women. There is no lowering of standards, and there is no settling. He or she either works, or they don't.
We have a sad reality in our culture where we promote the equality of women to men, but forget to allow the men to be men. We expect less of them, while handing more responsibility to the ladies. A man who does not feel needed will disengage.
I'm not saying my family gets it right, but watching so many others fall apart makes me wonder if degrading men so women can rise up is the best way.
Guys ought to be strong, and so ought the women. Be Superman, and be Wonder Woman. Both are gifted for their work, and both bring about results better than on their own.
We've been trying the other way for a few decades now. Maybe it is time we tried something new.