Jaycee Woods

Finished formatting two Chad chapters with the working titles “Goddess” and “Aphrodite” about his blind date with a woman named Aphrodite. Taken by themselves, it explores several contrasts; within the series, it is an early instance of Chad both actively helping and forming an ongoing relationship with one of his blind dates.

In the beginning, Aphrodite is brash and dominant. The personification of the feminist supremacist view on power dynamics in a relationship, the husband as her servant and enabler. Chad views it as role play so he plays along by acting out of character. Instead of the usual dinner date, they leave to go back to her place. There she acts dominant and insists that he call her Goddess. Meanwhile, as play, Chad acts the role of the obsequious man willing to do anything to please a woman. It becomes an absurdist parody of the Mary Sue, female vulnerability to power fantasies and unearned deference, and men who put a woman on a pedestal.

In the middle, Chad stops playing and reverts to his own self. Aphrodite prefers his shift to the dominant role, which allows her to be honest instead of playing a false idealized role. In this part, her own insecurities and vulnerability beneath her prior mask are explored. Chad’s caring for and protection of her is explored as a contrast to his prior playful obsequious deference to the “goddess.” Unlike almost all of his other blind dates, Chad doesn’t pass final judgement on her that first night, but allows her a few months of self development before putting her through the full blind date treatment.

The final chapter is a more typical Chad blind date story except the female lead is an established character. Unlike her prior chapter, this story has them as equals instead of dramatizing imbalances of power. Her prior vulnerability, openness, and honesty that led to an ongoing friendly relationship had Chad in a more forgiving mood about her red flags. However in the end their life plans were incompatible as he wanted a wife that was a full time mother and she was committed to her career goals. The usual emphasis on red flags takes a back seat to the idea of dating leading to marriage which requires growing together to build a shared life. However Chad and Aphrodite’s visions for the future were irreconcilable.

Aphrodite does reappear in a later story, which demonstrates an ongoing supportive relationship between them that isn’t destined for marriage. In that story, Chad’s blind date is a single mom who brought her kids on the date. Chad calls Aphrodite to watch the kids during his date. As happens for Chad too often, the blind date goes horribly wrong. Afterwards Aphrodite enacts the caring and protective role towards Chad as a demonstration of reciprocity in their developed relationship.