Then today I read an interview with her.

You seem to have a mind of your own, so why do you have this image of a bimbette?
You tell me! I'm sufficiently well read, I can conduct an intelligent conversation whenever I get an opportunity to discuss things beyond Bollywood.

Maybe it's because of the way I look, my voice, the pout I was born with..

Read the rest of the interview here.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that her answers sounded plausible, coherent...and intelligent. And unpleasantly surprised to discover my own stereotyping habit.

My best friend, the last of the campus stunners has had her share of admiring hordes all through college and thereafter. A conversation that came to mind after I read the above interview,

So he asks me which college I went to and I tell him. And then he goes

You're an engineer????!!!!

I mean why should it be so surprising?I suppose I've got 'DUMB' written all over my face?!

And I chuckled and told her that,

It isn't that. Beauty equals stupidity for most people.

To be quite sure, I am one of those people. I've been around enough of bimbettes and 'Him-bo's to loathe the presence of anyone who spends too much time before a mirror. People who get a lot of attention in childhood and their teens on account of their looks don't seem to find the need to grow a brain or even *shudder shudder*...a personality. The rest of us find ways to compete in the attention stakes with grades, a sense of humour, whackiness, style et cetera...

But I wonder if that's entirely correct now. Especially with women. I've always thought that women were far more practical and ruthless than men. And a pretty woman is perfectly capable of utilizing her looks to get her way (oh, don't we loathe that sort!!!).

On the other hand, what of the few that don't exactly like it? I can't imagine that it is very flattering to be thought of as dumb, even if half the world's population lusts for you. I wonder how many people would associate Madhuri Dixit with microbiology (after a brief flirtation with the medical sciences)? And who cares or even knows about Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's architecture degree (These get only cursory mentions on Wikipedia. I remember them as random trivia from the Ms.World pageant and filmi-gupshup days).

I suppose if they are really, really, really smart, they'll let the world get away with underestimating them and not need validation. Barbie with a brain is probably too radical a concept for the world, after all.

I did this strip a while ago on Stripcreator and I just found it again. Here it is to share with the rest of the world. If you want more of my early comics just click here or use the Tarantula Boy link on the sidebar.

(Click on pic to see full comic on a new page)

You are not the woman I thought you were.
You are still a girl.

Being a classic multiple-choice-answerer (haven't you noticed I'm a blogger in the plural?), here's what I would say to:

The I-lurrrve-him-sooo-much guy:

(Click each thumbnail to see full comic)

The I'm-gonna-bust-his-balls guy:

The I'm-sitting-on-my-hands-to-keep-from-grabbing-him guy:  

The infuriating-yet-he-stays friend:

The who-gives-a-damn guy:

In retrospect, no man has ever said such a thing to me. Could it be that they never thought I was a woman in the first place anyway? Or perhaps the fact that I believe (and hence I behave like..) the opposite sex never really grows up? Or....(my third option)....I've finally learnt the male habit of going deaf and blind to that which doesn't please me. Glory be!

(Click to see full comic on a new page)

As regards the lust for life, emotion is the biggest aphrodisiac.
On the other hand, even nymphets must stop sometime.

(Click to see full comic on seperate page)

But do take note of this lesser known fact.

(Click to see full comic on a new page)

This isn't funny. But sometimes I find people's drabness entertaining. After all, it takes all types....

(Click to enlarge)

Click on the pic to see full comic in another window.

(Click to see full comic on a new page)

I sigh and lay down my wearied defenses and set out to interview prospects again. All the while ruminating on a thought that struck me in the shower last week (don’t all brilliant ideas come to you then? I also get some when I’m brushing my teeth in the morning).

We all know that an average girl child’s brain is injected with the marriage virus very early on in life and everything else we do in life from our choice of career, our grades, our dressing, personality, friends, social calendar are all supposed to be in preparation of the big M word. Why do men get married? Let’s see:

1. Because they are in love (HAHAHAHA…alright I’ll shut my cynical self up a bit)
2. Because they seek companionship (I don’t really believe it but I’m bored with the ‘man-hater’ title)
3. Because they want free and regular sex (dare deny that one, anyone?)
4. Because they want a housemaid/cook/nurse-for-ageing-parents (phooey to the US-returned types)
5. Because their family wants them to get married (Yes, mama!)
6. Because their ex- broke up with them and they want to show her up (with all due apologies to the women that are being now made miserable by my ex-es)
7. Because….errr…umm….

Now let’s look at them. 1 and 2 are really rare and when those exist, the man has quickly turned around and married her in his early 20s itself. 3 and 4 are most common of all and if you don’t believe me, ask ANY woman who is being subjected to the marriage market….we’ve all met a few specimens. 5 and 6 get to be more and more hard to avoid as the years pass…both make their life’s major decisions based on someone else’s whims and words.

Where does that leave us then? With men who are certainly not interested in marriage and only feed us the lines hoping to impress us and get a little fun in the process. Or the No.s 3, 4, 5 and 6 and they’re hardly prime cuts as far as marriage prospects go, never mind their degrees and dollars.

(Click to see full comic on a new page)

Oh and there’s always the specimen that doesn’t even know why he’s getting married. But then again, “I don’t know” is an answer I hear frequently. Oh men of intelligence and higher understanding, where art thou? *Sigh* And at the end of it, all I'll have is a shiny needle.

But its a season to forgive and forget so take it with a pinch of salt and have a good holiday, everyone!

Please click the picture to see completely.

Thanks to Sensorcaine for giving me the lead (do see her collection too!)