Write: Against the Boy

Writing Exercise:

Take the nearest (long) book and open up to page 234.  Count down to the fifth line and over to the sixth, seventh, and eighth words.  Use these words to inspire your writing.  They can be used together or separately depending on preference and what words you ended up with.

My words for this exercise were "against the boy" from Light Infantry Ball by Hamilton Basso, found in Reader's Digest Condensed Books, volume 3, 1959.  Yes, I know I messed up how to cite the source, but I don't have my book with me.

My writing ended up fitting better as a poem than a short story.  Read it after the break.
Against Boys

The world is set against boys.
The feminists hate them,
The macho men destroy them.
The world is no safe place for boys.
    Don't play rough, you're a bully.
    Don't be soft, you're a wuss.
    Don't belch, that's disgusting.
    Don't have manners, that's gay.
The world is against the boy that opens doors - whipped.
The world is against the boy that wins over girls - misogynist.
 Is there anything a boy can do right?
The world is set against boys.

Girls get the attention
    Body image - It's alright not to look like the magazines.
    Abuse - Don't put up with it.
    Equality - Seventy cents to a dollar isn't fair.
Boys bear the cost.
Boys get told to treat women with respect.
But who respects the boys?
    Tells them they are worthwhile?
    Tells them they don't have to be stereotyped?
The world is set against boys.

*Note:  I just thought I would mention that consider myself a feminist and I don't hate boys, just stereotyping.  I'm raising a boy and I think it's really hard to raise a boy (or girl) as a decent human being in society today.  It's hard to be or find a decent human being anymore.*