I’m a bit late to the 1970’s party, but I eventually watched ‘The Way We Were’. Needless to say Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford in their prime, were, well in their prime, Robert Redford eye candy of note, and I have always been a Barbra Streisand fan. That’s the good part.

Back to the storyline! There are things that are bothering me so much I just have to write about it. It truly bothers me how outspoken and strong Streisand’s character is, but when it comes to her personal life, she becomes a whimpering adolescent teenager. Right after he slept with her, and then forgot about it as soon as he woke up. Yessiree. They had S.E.X, but no roses for her, he thanked her for the use of her bed and he was out of there. A goner. No kisses goodbye or anything.

And then he proceeded to use her. And her apartment. Because convenience. It was sweet. But as much as they romantice it, not once did he say he loved her. Nope. She was convenient. Until she spoke out of place.

And then he broke up with her. Because she hadn’t ‘behaved’ when he told her to behave. Yes ladies, you read correctly, he instructed her to ‘behave’. It was clear when he broke up with her that he meant what he said. The movie could have ended right there. But no. We had to endure her whimpering attempts at trying to change, pleading with him that she would laugh more, swear more, be everything that she was not. Just so that he would love her.

And then she did the unforgivable, and lady, I know this feeling well. Only too well, I’m afraid. She called him. In tears. And begged him to comfort her. Yes, you heard right. The motherf*er who told her quite bluntly that she just wasn’t the one for him, and it was clear that he was never going to change for her, was begged and cajoled to go and comfort her. So he went, taking two sleeping pills along with him, what a catch! And allowed himself to be coerced into staying.

She should have known from then. He was not committed. He felt pity not love. She even tried to convince him. ‘I’m the one that believes in you the most, the best one to love you’, yadda yadda yadda, save your breath lady, that’s what you should be hearing from him, not you trying to convince him yourself.

And then the clincher, she took it upon herself to fall pregnant, after which he took up the first offer for an exta-marital and off he went. Pregnant lady at home and who cares about her. After which more pleading on her part. Please stay with me, please, please, please, until our baby is born.

You can guess what happened. As soon as the baby had popped, he couldn’t even bring himself to tell her how beautiful their baby was. Insensitive sod. The best he could come up with was, she is tiny. She’s a f*king newborn what do you expect, dumbass? And then quite coldly, informed her that the crib was built. Okey doke, so the poor lady just pushed out his baby from her vajayjay, all while he was having fun on the side, and we supposed to applaud the fact that the crib was built. Yay for that. And what we can assume is a vanishing act after that.

Because as it turns out, she bumps into him years later, still with love in her eyes and tries to welcome him once again with open arms. He declines once again. Asks with a polite forced interest, how is ‘she’? Can’t even mention his own daughter by name, doesn’t even ask to see a photo, and then disappears.

Wtf????  Am I missing something in this romance?? Because this sure feels like my worst relationship gone even worse. What with all the begging, pleading, promising to change, tears, uncommitted half-arsed half-catch of a man, and a baby to boot.

The moral of the story?

When a man breaks up with you ladies, it’s because he wants to break up with you. Else he would be right there by your side loving you.

There ain’t no happy ever after at that point.

The end.