Inquire of Romeo: March ’10 | The Beachside Resident

Romeo Pomodoro

Article Category: Inquire of Romeo Leave a Comment

Dear Romeo,

Like many of your correspondents in the past, I’d like to use your column as a forum for a problem I feel has gone unaddressed for far too long in this area: mixed race relationships. My girlfriend, who I’ll call “Julie,” is a fantastically attractive and highly successful African- American woman and I’m a young, professional white male. I’ll admit that Julie is something exceptional — I do love her after all — but all that doesn’t seem to make much of a difference, because it doesn’t protect us from getting the evil eye every time we go out in public together. Unlike much of the rest of the country, where seeing a white man and a black woman (or vice versa) together is generally accepted and even praised, here in Brevard the story is quite different. In many ways, the Space Coast seems to be 40 years or more behind the times. Each time Julie and I go out around town, we either get bad vibes or strange stares. We’re often made to wait longer for tables at restaurants; sometimes we’re completely ignored. There have been more vocal examples of the public’s disapproval, too — shouts from passing vehicles and snide, barely whispered comments from fellow diners for instance. Can you please tell your readers to grow up and get with the 21st century program? We never have the same problems when we travel to other more “traditional” Southern outposts like Atlanta or Tallahassee. It seems that Jim Crow is alive and well right here in Brevard County.

“Color Blind”
Cape Canaveral

Thank you for addressing a very important issue, sir. I think all of our readers would do well to recognize the idiocy of criticizing loving, biracial relationships, regardless of the color or race of the persons involved in them. It’s important to remember that Love — in all its glory — makes no such petty distinction between color, ethnicity, race, religious beliefs, or political associations. It is not biracial relationships that are aberrant, but the attitude with which they’re often met. Love is Love, no matter what, and I for one support anyone who has the courage and strength to weather these unfortunate, ignorant storms. If it’s one thing Romeo hates, it is ignorance of all varieties. In light of that, I do take exception to your statement that Jim Crow is alive and well in Brevard County, and furthermore, I fail to see what would possess you to make such an outrageous claim in the context of your missive. I can understand disputing the deaths of icons like Elvis and Jim Morrison, but it is a well known, proven fact that Jim Crow perished in a crash in 1973. However, hits like “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,” “Operator,” and “I Got A Name” will always live on in our memories.

Dear Mr. Pomodoro,

I have a big problem with my husband of 30 years, Ralph. Now when Ralph and I married we had an understanding that as devout, decent, practicing Catholics, all sexual activity would be for procreative purposes only and not for temporal, sinful pleasure. That understanding never seemed to bother Ralph before; we do have 11 children after all, so he should be reasonably happy. But now that the last of our chickens has flown the coop, Ralph has started getting more and more randy and perverted with me once the lights go out. Why, last week he even threw out the nightstand that separated our beds for these many years and has pushed our beds together for the sole purpose of tickling and touching me inappropriately it seems. I’ve almost never been angry with Ralph throughout our long and happy marriage, but lately I’ve been getting really down on him — and it’s getting us both down. What should I do?

“Maggie”
Indian Harbour Beach

Molly, with all due respect to your faith (I am a Catholic too, but not a CATHOLIC Catholic), I’m not surprised at your husband’s behavior. Sex is a part of human nature because it is pleasurable, not merely because it fulfills some abstract desire to further the species. Does everything God created have to have some practical purpose? Now that your children have left home, what better time to rediscover why the two of you fell in love in the first place. Was it only to have children? Surely you found each other attractive at some point. God will not smite you for having sex more than the 11 times you have or engaging in the practice merely for erogenous giggles. Especially at your time of life, I suggest throwing caution and your religious beliefs to the wind and getting busy. You may even find that it will enhance your religious experience and overall quality of life. You chide yourself for being down on your husband of late. I’d argue that you should be down on him more often! Boing!

Dear Romeo,

I’m a single, professional woman, 30-years-old, with a great, sexy body and a take-no-prisoners attitude. My high-profile job brings me into contact with hundreds of handsome, eligible men (some single, some married). I’m happy to use them for weekend getaways or month-long flings, but other than that, they really don’t interest me. Also, I suppose I have something about me that makes them want to marry me. I know I’m great in bed and have all kinds of great things going for me, but I still think that I’m too young to be getting married any time soon. Anyhow, this has been happening to me more and more lately. Am I giving off some kind of crazy pheromones or something? Here I am having an okay time with some guy and then all of a sudden he gets down on one knee and starts proposing to me! I know! Like, what? It’s really embarrassing to have to turn them down and I guess I kind of feel bad, but I have my whole life ahead of me. I mean, isn’t it the woman who’s supposed to be hungry for marriage all the time? What’s going on? Problem: right now I have two guys — Gregg and Brick — vying for my attention. And you know what? I kind of like it this time. They are both successful and hot and I’m getting kind of a thrill stringing them along to see how far they’ll go. They both want to marry me and know I’m not interested, but they’ve both said they won’t give up until I say yes. I know what I’m doing is wrong, but I can’t help it. Any advice?

“Ginger”
Orlando

Amber, I have actually run into this problem many times before with similar female readers. Your situation is not as unique as it seems. I have come up with a handy metaphor for dealing with it too, and I have used it with great success. Imagine you are on a highway in your expensive Audi speeding along and yapping on the phone with the wind blowing through your luxuriant, highlighted tresses. There are two other cars ahead of you in the slow lane — let’s say they are Gregg and Brick — and as you pass them they notice a problem with your car that you are unable to see. They signal to you and even try to catch up with you, but you are going much too fast for them to reach you. They try mightily for several miles, but eventually give up. You see that you must slow down a little to enjoy life? Don’t be so afraid of commitment. You may find that Gregg or Brick are good catches. However, I can guess that your type will never slow down until it is too late. You will keep speeding along oblivious to love. But what is that in your rear view mirror? It is I, Romeo Pomodoro driving a sleek Lamborghini and gaining the advantage. Be careful I don’t overtake you from behind! Honk honk!