The Invisible Man

THROBBS

I am Fauve
Joined
Jul 4, 2007
Posts
19,657
No, Not John Cena.


Invisible Man

At a certain age one expects to become simply background to a younger set of the opposite sex.

I can momentarily flicker into a substantive form when interacting. For example, when I order a decaf mocha with whip, I will briefly appear to the barista, the fade away.

A sadder bit of my disappearing act is that I am becoming wallpaper or a throw pillow to my wife. More than once she has been leaving a room that I am actively doing something in and turned off the light. The most recent occurrence was when I was showering in the claw foot tub, the one with the clear curtain all around. She came in and rummaged in the wall cabinet next to the foot of that tub. I am washing — making movements and there was certainly the sound of showering and she turns and walks out while switching off the light. All the more pitiful, I know had *I* been on the outside while *she* showered, I’d be LOOKING.


*********
June 11, 2024
More instances of invisibility. Another case of her turning off the light on me as I was getting dressed and she was leaving the room.
And last night we were up late watching the NHL Stanley Cup play offs (not at all normal, as neither of follow hockey, BUT we do have two relatives who play and one is on the Panther's team) So we were up past our bed time. That is slightly significant, as she was dozing off during the game and that often leads to her being wide awake when we go to bed. In bed she throws a leg over me, which is not "rare", but not very regular. This little bit of physicality is nice. Her hand is on my stomach and I move it to my crotch and to my delight she strokes abit through my underwear. Naturally I grow hard. And naturally... she rolls away a bit and says, "I have to go to sleep.". boo. :(

In the morning, she gets up first, which is the norm and starts the process of getting dressed. I often just watch, as I like to watch!:). "Inspired", I pull down my underwear and the covers and begin stroking my cock. She is not looking. She sits on the bed next to me, facing away and applies her face creams etc..., gets up finds clean panties, pulls those on (while still in her night "gown"/shirt), pulls on some leggings, looks for a bra, finds it and pulls off her night gown and I make an audible "mmmmmmm" (she knows I love to see her breasts), she pulls on the bra, finds the top, puts that on and heads downstairs. So all this time my cock is out and I am stroking, not super rapidly, but with "enough" motion that is hard (hahahaha) to believe that she would not have seen, yet she made absolutely NO reaction or gave no indication that she did see, or cared.

I totally get that she does not have my libido, but she seems to have none! And I certainly am not visually appealing or sexy to her.
I couldn't get off after that, a total buzz kill. As far as I know she was not mad at me, as that is reason to not be interested. Something like this is could easily lead to erectile disfunction - there have been times when she has showed some "interest" in "fooling around" (her term) and her lack of actual enthusiasm has made it more difficult for me.


Obviously, these are just notes to myself, as they are intentionally obscured and I am not adding posts, which would bump the thread, making it more visible. Just whining to myself.


At least I am not tripping on my cloak of invisibility™
 
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I can understand the pain and frustration at home. I think that's why I've connected sexually with other married men who are experiencing somewhat the same thing. An old Carol Burnett skit about the "Invisible Woman" was funny, until I started feeling invisible myself.

I hope you don't fade away. I love your art. It's thought-provoking, entertaining, and often very arousing.

By the way, when I saw your post with the fading typeface, I thought that my eyes were finally giving up the ghost. I'm glad I made myself read it, though.
 
No, Not John Cena.


Invisible Man

At a certain age one expects to become simply background to a younger set of the opposite sex.

I can momentarily flicker into a substantive form when interacting. For example, when I order a decaf mocha with whip, I will briefly appear to the barista, the fade away.

A sadder bit of my disappearing act is that I am becoming wallpaper or a throw pillow to my wife. More than once she has been leaving a room that I am actively doing something in and turned off the light. The most recent occurrence was when I was showering in the claw foot tub, the one with the clear curtain all around. She came in and rummaged in the wall cabinet next to the foot of that tub. I am washing — making movements and there was certainly the sound of showering and she turns and walks out while switching off the light. All the more pitiful, I know had *I* been on the outside while *she* showered, I’d be LOOKING.


At least I am not tripping on my cloak of invisibility™
I hate to say anything personal, but is she actively angry at you and acting it out with passive aggression? There’s being oblivious to someone’s presence,which is sad enough, but is she giving you the silent treatment? You don’t need to tell me; I’m just wondering if you know for your own purposes. Just reading your piece makes my stomach turn a bit because I remember very well being on the receiving end of a passive aggressive spouse.
 
I hate to say anything personal, but is she actively angry at you and acting it out with passive aggression? There’s being oblivious to someone’s presence,which is sad enough, but is she giving you the silent treatment? You don’t need to tell me; I’m just wondering if you know for your own purposes. Just reading your piece makes my stomach turn a bit because I remember very well being on the receiving end of a passive aggressive spouse.
Not really "actively", as far as I know. Though "frequently".
 
No, Not John Cena.


Invisible Man

At a certain age one expects to become simply background to a younger set of the opposite sex.

I can momentarily flicker into a substantive form when interacting. For example, when I order a decaf mocha with whip, I will briefly appear to the barista, the fade away.

A sadder bit of my disappearing act is that I am becoming wallpaper or a throw pillow to my wife. More than once she has been leaving a room that I am actively doing something in and turned off the light. The most recent occurrence was when I was showering in the claw foot tub, the one with the clear curtain all around. She came in and rummaged in the wall cabinet next to the foot of that tub. I am washing — making movements and there was certainly the sound of showering and she turns and walks out while switching off the light. All the more pitiful, I know had *I* been on the outside while *she* showered, I’d be LOOKING.


At least I am not tripping on my cloak of invisibility™
You are very important and matter to this world. You are seen and appreciated. I’m very sorry for your situation.
 
This underscores the need all of us have to be seen, to matter to at least one person in this world. The closer the relationship, the more it causes pain. It's not a real substitute, but even though it's only online in this forum, you are seen. I think this is the main driving force behind a lot of online connections through social media. But the need for the personal touch is still there.
 
well, not to further darken the mood, but if this is a common thing, then I don't think the wife-turning-off-the-lights part is about you at all. She might developing cognitive issues. It usually starts with small stuff like that and then gets worse from there.
 
Hey Throobs, I'm new here, still finding my way round and all that, and feel like I should be keeping my head down, but, as someone who's kinda there/been there/will be there again, u okay?

I loved the way u said it, the whole 'said but not said' thing, resonated for me and I... felt for you... Just... Human to human, I want you to be okay...

Reassure me, U okay? If not, reach out...

Of course if I have totally misread then laugh at me uproariously 😂.... Everyone...
 
Yeah, I'm ok, thank you.


Funny, when I do feel seen (on LIT)
I'm getting a hint of what some folk think.
I feel I am a deviant among deviants. Kinda odd really.
 
Yeah, I'm ok, thank you.


Funny, when I do feel seen (on LIT)
I'm getting a hint of what some folk think.
I feel I am a deviant among deviants. Kinda odd really.
This is sad. I don’t know where you get these hints but I’m sorry you do. I don’t sense That you’re any more deviant than anyone else here. Plus I’ve seen I’ve seen some material that I click off it immediately. I find it so deviant. I never do that with your work.
 
Yeah, I'm ok, thank you.


Funny, when I do feel seen (on LIT)
I'm getting a hint of what some folk think.
I feel I am a deviant among deviants. Kinda odd really.
The braid thing seemed odd to me, but sometimes artists have unusual ideas; I took it in that way. to me, you were just drawing what came to you. Maybe I’m missing something.
 
This underscores the need all of us have to be seen, to matter to at least one person in this world. The closer the relationship, the more it causes pain. It's not a real substitute, but even though it's only online in this forum, you are seen. I think this is the main driving force behind a lot of online connections through social media. But the need for the personal touch is still there.
Each one of us (human beings) need to be able to touch and be touched by another human being and/or beings. We are just like our cousins, the apes. We are social beings. I have seen many isolated apes in zoo cages. It is tough on our psyches to be isolated in such ways.

Too many burnt bridges, as we age.
 
Each one of us (human beings) need to be able to touch and be touched by another human being and/or beings. We are just like our cousins, the apes. We are social beings. I have seen many isolated apes in zoo cages. It is tough on our psyches to be isolated in such ways.

Too many burnt bridges, as we age.

Maybe I’m not there yet so I don’t get it, but what keeps these guys from just developing a social hobby and just going out to meet people? There are a lot of cheap hobbies that involve social interaction.
 
Maybe I’m not there yet so I don’t get it, but what keeps these guys from just developing a social hobby and just going out to meet people? There are a lot of cheap hobbies that involve social interaction.
From personal experience, it's a risky proposition. You take the risk and try something out, join the group or activity or whatever, only to find that it turns out to be a clique that doesn't welcome outsiders very well. It defends itself by keeping others at arm's length. A few times of trying to find a place where one fits in only to be rebuffed, and one begins to give up. The hurt eventually becomes too much. C. S. Lewis addressed this very topic in an excellent essay titled "The Inner Ring". Life can become an endless search, not only for a soul mate, but even for a real friend. I finally succeeded in both, but it was a long and painful journey.
 
Oof :( I don’t come here that often anymore, and specifically was looking for Throbbs. I well remember the pain of the invisibility when my marriage was ending; while it’s no fun being a single middle aged woman (ergo invisible), an invisibility that’s not personal is far easier to take.

May we all find happiness.
 
This thread made me incredibly sad, but the support and kindness of those reaching out is lovely to witness. I hope all is well for all of you and it has actually made me look at the reason some married people reach out on this site in a much different light.
 
I think it’s ultimately important to recognize that it’s ok to embarrass yourself or lose a bit of money or time in your quest for friends. I see a lot of responses boil down to “I tried, but it didn’t take.”

I would say that those just weren’t your people, and keep trying again. People have a hard time finding romantic partners or sexual partners… why would it be any different for platonic ones?
 
I think it’s ultimately important to recognize that it’s ok to embarrass yourself or lose a bit of money or time in your quest for friends. I see a lot of responses boil down to “I tried, but it didn’t take.”

I would say that those just weren’t your people, and keep trying again. People have a hard time finding romantic partners or sexual partners… why would it be any different for platonic ones?
Whether it's for romantic, platonic, or sexual connections, it's easier to pick oneself up and try again if it simply didn't work out. The difficulty comes when it didn't just not work out but ended with betrayal and pain. It takes incredible bravery to try again after that.
 
Whether it's for romantic, platonic, or sexual connections, it's easier to pick oneself up and try again if it simply didn't work out. The difficulty comes when it didn't just not work out but ended with betrayal and pain. It takes incredible bravery to try again after that.

True. But for platonic friendships, I think betrayal is actually a bit harder to come by, unless the potential friend is a scammer or criminal. It’s not really like finding out that your friend has other friends would be weird, right?
 
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