Male Vulnerability Isn’t Pretty—But It’s Important
Why do we pretend we’re “just okay” when we’re obviously not?
I found the frogs in a puddle after a thunderstorm. The earth was still wet. Insects and amphibians were crawling out of holes to soak in the humid sun. I tottered along the sidewalk grasping my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Party Wagon, where I stored the small frogs I’d discovered. Settling next to my neighbor’s outdoor air conditioning unit, I peeked over the top to stare at the internal fan blades purring in a rhythmic cycle. Rust had eaten away a few slats to create a small opening. I looked into the hole, which reminded me of the blender my mother used at home. I was smart enough to know if I put my hand through the slats, my fingers would disappear like a tomato in a blender.
The air conditioning unit was one of the few dry spots among the puddles gathered on the sidewalk. I sat down, removed the frogs from inside the Party Wagon, and played. I owned none of the actual Ninja Turtle figurines, so the frogs would have to do.
In the animated series, the Turtles Party Wagon has a removable roof they use as a springboard to launch the four brothers into the air. Following the cartoon depiction, my Party Wagon also had a flippable roof. The idea was to launch the frogs from the Party Wagon, reenacting…
