Mail Online: … a few years ago, when my husband Chris and I were on holiday with a group of friends and family in France.

Seated around a table in a rustic restaurant, one of the party noticed a stuffed animal peering beadily from a glass case and a lively discussion ensued.

‘I wonder what that is?’ said Chris. ‘I think it might be a stoat,’ said a male friend. ‘No, it’s a ferret of some sort,’ ventured my brother-in-law.

‘Actually, it’s a pine marten,’ I announced confidently.

‘Hmm,’ replied the friend. ‘Wrong colour for a ferret.’

‘That’s because it’s a pine marten,’ I repeated.

‘Really?’ said yet another friend. ‘Well, maybe it’s a weasel of some kind.’

This debate about woodland fauna carried on over my head for five minutes until my husband quietly ventured, ‘Could it be a pine marten?’ at which there was a roar of masculine agreement.

‘Of course! A pine marten! Well done, mate!’

What can one add. Theoretically—at least according to one of the few if nonsensical theories floating about—it is our high, piping voices. The male brain can’t hear it. You know, like dog tones. A woman whistles and whistles but in this case the tones are too high, the poor things can’t pick them up. Whereas another beefy male voice, effortless.

I’m tired of theories, actually, when it comes to the sexes. Theoretically.

Tags: humor, male thinking

§ 5 Responses to “The Weasel Moment”

• flawedplan says:

  23 August 2009 at 2:22 PM

  Amen to that sister!
  • Zo says:

    23 August 2009 at 2:54 PM

    Hey Robin! Thanks!
• phydeaux3 says:

  23 August 2009 at 5:33 PM

  Are we sure it’s not a ferret? Of some sort.
  • Zo says:

    23 August 2009 at 6:51 PM

    Oh we think we’re funny. Read my lips: PINE MARTEN. Whatever TF that is. God knows what they have in France.
• Tom Clark says:

  24 August 2009 at 9:30 AM

  About being tired of theories…

  Charcot, a contemporary of Freud, said, quite memorably, “Theory is good, but it doesn’t prevent things from happening.”

  Most theories about women and men, relationships, and so on, aren’t particularly good; but, whether good or not, the same old stuff keeps happening. Social/sexual/gender evolution holds some hope, but progress is so glacial that it’s easy enough to dismiss it altogether.

  As for the animal in question, maybe everyone got it wrong. Could have been a badger or a stoat.