Granted this one is no vocab word…

Aftermath:

noun

1. something that results or follows from an event, especially one of a disastrous or unfortunate nature ; consequence: the aftermath of war; the aftermath of the flood.

2. a new growth of grass following one or more mowings,which may be grazed, mowed, or plowed under. (courtesy dictionary.com)

As much as I’d wish for grass to be relevant… definition number two doesn’t apply. What I’m talking about are the things that result from a kind of even of “disastrous or unfortunate” nature. Yep, in a broader sense I’m talking about Sunday mornings on a college campus. Luckily I had the pleasure of NOT being one of those victims this morning, but an observer of those poor souls. There they go wandering into the dining hall with their hair sticking on end and an uncomfortable feeling in their stomachs and in their minds, ” what happened?” they wonder. They gather and discuss the aftermath of the night before.  Yet, my real focus is even deeper. I recently witnessed a friend and her boyfriend in the aftermath of a fight ( there are 2 fights in this anecdote). Specifics aren’t important, but the gist is that she and one of his friends got into public verbal argument.   To “clear the air” the boyfriend sent a text to that guy the next day saying ” Sorry man, she was kinda crazy. Don’t worry about it.” And thats why my friend and her boyfriend fought. Because here arises the double-standard. Why is it that the boy she was fighting with gets off easy? He was fighting back, and yet he is excused, while my friend’s dignity is at stake for speaking up for herself. I’m not trying evoke serious feminist sentiments here, just the prominence of this kind of male one-sided victory, and the fact its still only half-heartedly questioned and almost never won.  And so I wonder how it is we can better cope with the aftermath…