The Tamesis
There are few dawns while I’m here no The Nora Ephron quote or other that comes to mind (this woman is right about everything!), but rather a line from her 1983 semi-autobiographical novel heartburn Recently it occurred to me: “Beware of men who cry. It’s true that men who cry are sensitive to and in touch with feelings, but the only feelings they are sensitive to and in touch with are their own feelings.” Trigger? Norwegian biathlete Sturla Holm Lægreid, who finished third at the Olympics, tearfully admitted on live television on Tuesday that she was having an affair.
Is this harsh on me? Maybe, just a little bit. After all, we want boys (and, by the laws of Hunan evolution, men) to be able to express their emotions easily rather than just punching a wall when the Knicks lose, right? Still, Leglade surprised me by admitting “I wanted to share this with someone but probably wouldn’t be watching today” because “three months ago I made the biggest mistake of my life and was unfaithful.” A little romantic? Yes. Crazy? Yeah, I’m not really sure which one of the two wins out right now.
As it turns out, Leglade’s ex-girlfriend seems unfazed by her ex’s public displays of regret. “It’s hard to forgive. Even after expressing love in front of the whole world,” the girlfriend (who chose to remain anonymous…can’t blame her!) told the Norwegian tabloid VG Wednesday. “I didn’t choose to be in this position and it’s painful to have to be in this position. We’ve had contact and he knows how I feel about it.”
If Legred’s ex was totally obsessed with his public giggling, maybe I would be too, but with women’s disdain comes my own personal opinion – which forces me to conclude that this is a classic case of men in the public eye Just doing too much.
The idea of someone asking for forgiveness for my heartbreak on live television is certainly appealing, but it’s just a fantasy. In real life, I imagine this would make me sweaty and uncomfortable, like someone speeding to the airport to stop me from boarding my plane, someone lighting a million candles in a small, poorly ventilated room trying to woo me (fire safety is real!), or any other action straight out of a romantic comedy playbook. I care about the intersection between the Olympics and romance, but if there are any cheating athletes out there who are considering following in Legred’s footsteps, please: write her a simple and heartfelt apology letter and deliver it privately!
