All Comments on 'Rob and Several Ladies'

Let's be clear:

When Rob first proposed, she didn't allow any discussion, or even give him the opportunity to compromise. She was going to have a career and she was not saddling herself with him to slow her down. Full stop. No discussions. No compromises. No negotiations. She was happy to have a current fuck buddy to pay for shit for her (HE had to work to pay for the dates, despite Ms. Feminist coming from a wealthy family...selective much?)

Now to Dayton:

She said she made the wrong choice. Well...did she reconsider her priorities? No. Her idea of the 'wrong choice' was allowing Rob to no longer be out of her career driven life, despite his opinions to the contrary. She needed to use her golden vagina to make him change HIS mind. She could not change hers.

This is arrogance. It is entitlement. It is privilege.

She had her life dream and he wasn't allowed to have his respected.

She was given her second chance and she threw that away as well. Now she can write snarky, unreflective articles about how she is happy alone...and single...and that paycheck is just as good as someone to cuddle with and share a coffee with in bathrobes while watching the sun rise.

He has no shade on him.

to know what you want and not settle for less. Kathy and Rob both did exactly that.

"Before I start - JPB clearly tries to keep the characters and situations as morally ambiguous as possible - probably since, as can be seen here, it tends to build interest. Using the text as a model of correct behavior is then, problematic."

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Morally ambiguous? As presented Rob enters every "serious" relationship he has with various girls, including Kathy - with the expectation of faithful monogamy and blossoming into a traditional marriage. He treats them VERY morally. It's the women, alone, who act "morally ambiguous" in either unfaithfulness or merely they put themselves and their own goals (career, whatever) first while also merely enjoying a faithful committed male and his attentions while doing that.

At the end with Kathy I think Rob gave it one more chance and morally - that his romantic attentions and "golden prick" just might finally persuade Kathy to compromise herself in following wherever Rob's career led him. IF she was as good as she thought she was - IF she wasn't getting ahead on her back but just with her business professional skills, she should have had far less problems doing a lateral transfer to another different company in Chicago than any man, just like Jan apparently did. She wasn't interested in even trying that. She either had severe insecurity issues OR she had her own "coattails" guy she was using, and maybe screwing, as a sure thing to her own prof. advancement in that one company.

Many of these stories and/or commenters and often in my own real life - women try to use their "golden vaginas" to get THEIR way, with the men they profess they love. Rob merely tried the reverse tactic. Kathy made her very own free will choice to stay in Dayton - as she made her own choices each and every night the preceding seven months to sleep with Rob and hopefully manipulate him to NOT leaving Dayton, unless and until she wanted to.

Perhaps they both were moral - Rob for sure was, as he WOULD have married her - both times - if she had truly loved him as a woman should love a man, as determined by merely 200,000 years of human anthropological history. (Hint: there is no such thing in all human history as a successful matriarchal society - as far as work and war. Modern liberal feminism is one big joke - just historically. Even the Trobriand Islanders as a "matriarchal" society as far as inheritance and women choosing marriage partners, didn't boss their men while working or war-making. ;-)

The whole story was just like they were still all in high school. If Rob is such hot shit and all these women in Dayton that are after him are even fairly pretty than why are they all after him? Wouldn't they be dating other guys? This story was just full of contradictions! Rob wanted the house and kids yadda yadda yadda but was fucking anyone that would let him what's with that? Also if he is such a family oriented person how come he never even calls his poor single mother? He never even apparently thinks about her....what's with that? When it comes right down to it Rob is an asshole and goes through life thinking everyone else is! But not our poor home spun little Robbie...The ending was a foregone conclusion when you said the only two women he would really date and one of them was ......wait for it.....Jan!! It was really high school how he would continue to take calls from her (Jan) and tell her just what his perverted thinking was on all the other girls in the office...not to mention Bert who always painted in a bad light! LOL!!!!! Oh just one more thing ...get an editor!!

I keep searching Just Plain Bob stories to find that occasional gem. Found it here

Just loved Rob. Up from poverty. Hard worker. Admirable life goals. Not derailed. Square shooter. -- well, nobody's perfect.

Really interesting comments.

Paul in Oklahoma

Husband and wife have careers, but the wife is expected to throw hers away and follow her husband. Has anyone told JPB that we are now in the 21st century, not the 19th.

First, you do know that this is just a story, right?

It’s not about 21st century or feminism or equality. It’s about what these characters want out of life and what is a deal breaker. Rob knows what he wants and what he’s willing and more importantly NOT willing to tolerate. Same actually with Kathy, except she doesn’t want to give up on Rob even when she knows that he won’t change his mind. So please, don’t turn a story into a national movement. It’s just a story.

You set your criteria for a mate and let everyone else set their criteria. Live and let live. Personal choice.

could really pick'em. I've got a good buddy like this. Every woman he picks turns out to be crazy, a druggie or a gold digger. I've told him let my wife get to know the next one before he commits to her.

a cuckold story starring Kathy where she brings her lovers home and calls them Rob.

that the term "asshole" is used 7 times by my count in this story - seems kinda much, considering, if it weren't supposed to be a theme.

My arguments still seem strong to me - he refused to visit her family, and then dumped a marriage proposal very soon (after a weekend of sex, it appears) after she got back from summer break... kinda precipitous, don't you think? Frankly, I think you should have a very good idea of what your response it going to be before making a scene... anyway, Kathy bought the first cup of coffee, and other than Rob worrying about funding his car and dates, we don't really know the financials of their relationship, FD to the contrary.

She then tried to let him down easy, and keep lines open... he on the other hand: "Bottom line here is that I loved you enough to ask you to marry me and you don't care enough about me to choose me over a career. I have no interest in being second place in my lady's life." Kinda harsh... and more than a little bit dogmatic, especially for where they were in their lives.

Then he has a FWB arrangement, which was "perfect" for him. Really? And he didn't want anything to do with Kathy because he was a sensitive kinda guy?

One could go through the entire story this way, but why? People selectively read - I do it as well. I do not see JPB's characters as moral archetypes, and can't imagine seeing them that way - I've read too much of his stuff to take it quite that dogmatically. So, I can see (and look for) ambiguity in the story line. And, I can see ambiguity as the point of a story - which side you come down on is enlightening.

JPB is a genius, as far as I can tell. This story highlights current politics in the USofA. We got ourselves an asshole - why is this acceptable? You think it is acceptable because it is so clear what an asshole we have... I don't. Why do I have to put up with your asshole, then? Of course that argument works both ways... but my assholes tend to be a bit more polite and less in your face... which I see as a virtue.

But! If I just say I'm an asshole, then I am not 'cause I am up front about it, right? I mean, putting politics in this forum is quite an asshole thing, don't you think? Luckily I'm not, because I'm so sincere and all and up front... or maybe I'm just rubbing your face in my assholeness, which also means I'm okay because I'm upfront about that possibility too.

Up front isn't a get out of jail card... and you may be feeling like you need the freedom to chase your desires that the justification of "at least I was honest about my desires" gives you - but that only holds if the other person has a choice not to play. If they have to play, then they don't have a choice regardless.

And so, if you are in high office or the boss or .... you don't get a get out of jail free card by being "up front".

Sorry about that -

YMMV

Green-something

(frankly the main weakness of the story for me was the infatuation Kathy had for Rob... but that was the suspension of disbelief card thrown by JPB to make the story work. Given the obsession, then the decision to take advantage of the obsession was the quandary of the story, and so the discussion here. The obsession made Kathy play when she shouldn't. He was, and knew he was, taking advantage of her obsession. What an asshole.)

Second time to read it. Still a 5 star gem.

That's all I had to say until I read green117. I do not make a habit to comment on other commenters. But green117 was one of the most mixed-up, nonsensical expanses of wasted space -- both for what he said about the story, and about politics.

Paul in Oklahoma

One point: isn't he every bit as inflexible as she is? She stays for her career and he leaves for his? Although, it's hard to compromise on the kids issue.

Maybe Bob's usual, but this was a great piece of usual. Loved the story, but never expected him to end up with Jan. I had Kathy deciding to give up her job for him. I can't blame her though, Chicago wouldn't be on my to fifty places to live either.

Agree with some of the commenters below. He waxes righteous, but ultimately puts his desires first in the relationship as well. Yeah, those desires are more wholesome and family-oriented than her grubby career aspirations, but still. Correct about needing to be with a compatible partner, though. Fun read, not as much hand-wringing as the usual fare.

It's still a great story. He sure was a chick magnet...

Meh. He was an asshole. It's not about giving up, it's about compromise.

If it is about compromise, what compromises did Kathy offer to make?

That's right, not a fucking one.

How can Rob's boss ask him if he wants a move,he had dropped down dead?.Also why would Jan be in the starlight club on her own?.

By my calculations, all the characters are in their mid twenties. Why would a guy, at that age, be pressuring to get married and have children? Why would he ask a woman to marry him, after only dating six months? Good grief!

For all the commenters saying Rob was an asshole. I ask this ... How was he am asshole?

He knew what he wanted. He was up front with all the women he dated about what he wanted.

Kathy said she would do anything to have another shot at Rob but, when he gave her a choice she always chose her career. Multiple times. More power to her.

But, why are her career ambitions more important than what Rob wanted? He knew what he wanted and rather than put himself and Kathy in a position where any future relationship would be undermined by resentment he kept looking until he found someone who wanted the same thing he did.

Relationships are supposed to be equal partnerships. Expecting the man to give a woman everything she wants at the expense of what he wants is a very twisted way of viewing things.

So, out of four girlfriends, only smoking Meg remained un-fucked?

There is compromise and there is "compromise". Ford vs. Chevy, let's get a Dodge is one thing. You can always get a different car . Kids vs. no kids, let's get a dog, is something completely different. Getting things like that worked out is what dating is supposed to be about. Good on him that he knew what was nonnegotiable for him and looked until he found a partner with the same list.

This was a good one, Thanks Bob

Therr is no way to compromise on having kids or not. That is a biggie. You either both have the vision foe the future on big ticket items or you don't. Thar being said, if the Kathy's "no kids" policy was not in play, i.e. not in the story, and it was all about career choices then yeah the MC comes off a LOT worse. She is entitled to have a fulfilling job career also. Using a nanny is not the end of the world. Loving couples make compromises on job opportunities all the time. The MC could always hide behind the "no kids" shield but if that were not there, then some of his reasoning is off. He lambasted her for her wanting to be on a fast track to VP at her job in Dayton m, but he tells her needs and wants to take the promotion in Chicago so he can earn enough money to make his dream of a family come true. Let's ignore the fact that the cost of living in Chicago is much higher. They both come off as career driven. If they both wanted kids, it would be a lot grayer about his choices and his complaints. What he did to her at the end is not cool. He knew he set her up. Jan is supposed to be a friend. Maybe she just hoped they woukd sort it out. Didn't happen. Jaime was weird. Their relationship never seemed that genuine. She was seeing Bert regularly each week and every other weekend. Why? Bert kicked her to the curb? What was her motivation to sample both? Sounded like she didn't want a serious relationship and the MC was turning her off with his timetable. They were not exclusive and she knew nothing of their history. Of course she gets married six months after the MC and Jan. So she just hadn't met the right guy yet apparently. She liked the MC but wasn't in love with him like Kathy. Hence her reluctance to move in. That is her prerogative. Of course thr sneaking around and lying is not good. Also her outsized reaction at being accused. I guess he wasn't her paramour. Felt bad for Kathy. If not for the kids thing, woukd have been much more against the MC at times when he got bitter and whiney. Thr no kids policy changed the dynamic greatly. Was that added in later by the author yo make it more cut and dry? His setup of Kathy at thr end was cruel. Maybe in his heart he hoped it would work out, but he himself said he knew it would not. Both people wanting something different doesn't make them bad. Kathy didn't chest or lie or manipulate him. He lied to her and manipulated her at the end. And led her on. Yes the no kids thing made their future impossible but don't act like a jerk. Last page had my view of the MC drop precipitously.