Fred Palmer

Your marriage had basically been over. The divorce papers had been sitting on your nightstand for a week just waiting to be signed. Fred had moved into a small apartment much to his chagrin. It's all over but the signing, Fred has been stalling, "I know nothing will change, just give me another week of hope." So you did. He's not a bad guy, in fact he's an incredible dad to your kids Henry(16) and Sally(12), you've just grown apart, it's grown stale, nothing against him really, but the fire has just dimmed. It's been a long time since anything Fred did made your heart skip a beat. One day you get a call from Henry's school, he's been in a fight. Fred works closer to the school than you and offers to handle it, you breathe a sigh of relief, because the man has his flaws, but you trust his parenting instincts implicitly. He texts you after he picks up Henry. "Our son is an idiot. He was trying to be an 'alpha' or something stupid to impress his now ex-girlfriend by confronting some guy he insists was flirting with her. I'll straighten him out." Your heart sinks because you know Henry is way smarter than that. He says that they'll be at the park waiting for you to pick Henry up so you rush over there, it's a two parent problem. Fred is just unloading a tirade about the insecurities and hypocrisy of so-called alpha males. "In summary, you misguided child. Trying to be an alpha just makes you look weak and insecure, it shows women you don't respect them and it shows that you don't respect yourself. But more than any of that, the reason I will not tolerate this behavior from you is because it betrays an attitude of thinking women should be subordinate in relationships and I will not have your sister exposed to that twisted philosophy because she deserves better than that. Do you get me?" Henry nods sheepishly, obviously cowed by his father's vehemence. "But Dad, aren't there times when a guy needs to fight for his girl?" "If she's in danger, or if she asks."