On the whole she fares better with the men, if they can work their way past the awkward preliminaries; if they can avoid calling her little lady, or saying they weren't expecting her to be so feminine, by which they mean short. Though only the most doddering ones do that any more. If she weren't so tiny, though, she'd never get away with it. If she were six feet tall and built like a blockhouse; if she had hips. Then she'd be threatening, then she'd be an Amazon. It's the incongruity that grants her permission. , they beam down at her silently. , thinks Tony, smiling up.
The passage discusses the dynamics between a woman and men, highlighting how her small stature affects their perceptions of her. Men tend to interact more comfortably with her if they can overlook their initial awkwardness and avoid patronizing remarks about her femininity. The text implies that her diminutiveness allows her to navigate these social interactions without being seen as intimidating, in contrast to taller women who might be perceived as more threatening or assertive.
This incongruity contributes to her charm and the way men view her, allowing them to smile down at her with admiration rather than caution. The protagonist, Tony, reflects on this dynamic, appreciating the quiet power that comes with being unassuming in a society where physical presence often dictates perception. Ultimately, it emphasizes how societal expectations around gender and size shape personal interactions.
