Old-Fashioned Values

[KinkySubGirl]

Ashley was flipping the steaks as David lifted her skirt, and she felt his hand slide across her ass. She gave out a startled yelp, blushing deeply and giggling, too surprised to know how to respond.

Up until now, David hadn't done anything quite like that: she had never felt uncomfortable about how he looked at her or treated her. But she was stunned that he had just lifted her skirt and touched her ass without any real warning.

Still processing what had just happened, she kept cooking the steaks, still trying to act natural.

"You know, I don't know why they even teach Biology to women. There are only certain aspects of it that they really need to know: conception and child-bearing, and sexual response..."

Ashley continued cooking, opening the stove and bending over to get a good look at the baked potatoes. "You don't think it's important for women to understand how the body works?" Ashley said. "What if they want to become doctors, or nurses?" She stood back up and turned towards David, showing with her smile that she was just making conversation, not necessarily saying her own opinion. After all, for all she knew, David didn't think women ought to be doctors in the first place!

"What jobs do you think are appropriate for women?" she asked, afraid to hear the answer.

 

[BurningMonkey]

"What jobs do you think are appropriate for women?"

David considered the question for a moment.

“Well, nurses, certainly, and I guess you have a point about Biology there. Doctors? Not so much. Women work best in supporting roles, I think; they’re natural ‘helpers’. They seem happiest there. Helping is what they do best. I don’t think it’s in a woman’s nature to take the lead in things; they’re wonderful on the sidelines cheering, but don’t belong as players on the field…”

“What jobs are appropriate? Nurses, as you said. Secretaries—oh, I’m sorry: ‘executive assistants’, as the modern term would have it. Stewardesses, though again the modern term is ‘flight attendant’. Beauticians, hairdressers, store clerks, housekeepers, entertainers, florists, interior decorators, fashion designers—all ‘helping’ roles. Yes, I think those are all appropriate jobs for women.”

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” he asked, curious.

 

[KinkySubGirl]

She nodded and smiled as David talked about women being in jobs on the sidelines, not wanting to make it clear how skeptical she found this idea. After all, keeping this apartment was still a key to getting through college. So, she intentionally gave every appearance of agreeing, even though she wasn't totally sold on the idea. "After all, women's brains aren't fundamentally different from men's brains, are they?" she thought to herself. She wouldn't take a neuro-anatomy course, so she may never find out for sure.

Ashley began plating their dinner as she answered. "Well, I want to be a nurse when I grow up, so maybe you are onto something....being a doctor sounds awfully hard, and there's so much schooling. I just don't know if I could handle all those years of medical school. Even biology has been hard to get through, even though I know I will need some of it."

As she carried the plates over to the table, her skirt swishing, Ashley giggled. "So I guess I am going to be in one of those cheering-from-the-sidelines jobs, aren't I?"

 

[BurningMonkey]

David picked up the wineglasses and followed her to the table. For just a moment he stood looking down, frowning slightly. "Ashley, the napkin goes on the left side of the plate, underneath the fork, with the knife and spoon on the right side, knife closest to the plate, edge facing right. I've mentioned this before. Please do try to remember that, won't you?"

He sat and smiled. "You haven't hardly touched your wine dear," he said as he set it down at her place. "Do please drink up--it's a night of celebration! Income continues..." He took a healthy swallow of his own.

"Yes, I suppose you'll be in a 'supporting' profession," he said, continuing the conversation. "But don't discount that; the 'helpers' of the world are what make things run smoothly, and they're hugely important in that regard. Take this excellent meal, for example," he said, gesturing expansively. "Isn't life here much more pleasant with someone putting hot food on the table in a timely manner and keeping the house tidy? And don't you feel a certain satisfaction in knowing that it's all due to your efforts? Which I truly appreciate, by the way...you've settled in splendidly, and I've noticed it"

 

[KinkySubGirl]

Ashley smiled as David pointed out that she had set the table a little bit wrong. She made a mental note of the proper way to set a table, and nodded apologetically. "Sorry, David, it was a mistake. I'll be careful not to do that again," she said, trying not to show how silly she thought the rule was.

At his encouragement, Ashley drank deeply from the glass, then began eating. As she did, David continued their conversation.

"Isn't life here much more pleasant with someone putting hot food on the table in a timely manner and keeping the house tidy? And don't you feel a certain satisfaction in knowing that it's all due to your efforts? Which I truly appreciate, by the way...you've settled in splendidly, and I've noticed it"

Ashley thought about it, and she WAS very happy that the apartment kept running like it was supposed to, with dinner always on the table on time, and with every surface clean and free of dust.

She hadn't thought of it as something to be proud of before. Well, maybe she should...she had put work into keeping it all running smoothly, and had done a good job of it.

"You know what?" she said, taking another sip. "I DO feel proud. I've done a good job around the house, even though I didn't have all that much experience with it before. Back home, I was always respectful of my parents, but I wasn't given too many responsibilities. But now I have them, and I'm keeping up with them. It feels a lot more productive than that stupid BIO class."

 

[BurningMonkey]

"There's a good girl," David said, reaching across the table to take her hand. "Take pride in what you're doing; it's something to be proud of." He ran his thumb gently back and forth across her knuckles for a moment, then withdrew his hand.

Noticing her glass was almost empty, he wordlessly poured it full again from the bottle, then topped off his own and raised it. "Here's to finding what you like to do, and doing it well."