Ok, I'm a little amazed here. Why is it that A) everyone assumes that people can control their emotions easily, and B) assume that everyone else (aka Padma) should assume the same as well?
Marten did not assume that. He tried backing out of this twice: first by trying to opt out of the camping trip, then by whining about the dance party. Obviously, he didn't want to go, but being the wishy-washy Charlie Brown that he is he let himself get pushed into it*. He knew from square one that things were going to go sour. Meanwhile Padma casually says "I'm leaving soon" and "Wanna dance?", without stopping to think about the mixed signals (and mental whiplash) those combined messages says. And let's face it, just saying "I'm leaving soon" does not prevent someone from becoming emotionally attached to you: life is messy and imperfect, something Padma clearly does not understand. Contrary to what most of you obviously believe, not everyone has control over how they feel, and quite frankly I don't think they should. What we do have is control over how react to those feelings.
Look, I already said a while back that none of this completely absolves Marten from accepting the consequences of his drunken stupidity. But he did make an effort to not put himself into this situation, while Padma pushed forward without regard to how other people might eventually feel.
*It is important to note that it wasn't just Padma pushing Marten into this situation. Faye and Steve helped as well, however in Steve's defense Marten was whining about the wrong thing. Marten needs to grow a pair and stand up for himself, otherwise he will continue to get walked on by people like Dora and Padma his entire life. Which is the heart of his bad luck, and unfortunately it is all self-inflicted.
EDIT:
Okay, while I agree stoutfiles does get carried away with his accusations sometimes, the point he's trying to make is looking sharper and sharper all the time. Let's face it, this does not paint Padma in a good light. According to Elliot, she specifically said she doesn't want to get involved with anyone before she left. So what does she do? Hook up with Marten for a one-night stand, without first making sure he's comfortable with a one-night stand. And as it turns out he isn't.
More woman-blaming? Did not Padma explicitly tell Marten that she was leaving town in the immediate future?
Yes, at least this particular woman. Like I said earlier, telling someone they are leaving soon does not prevent emotional attachments. Anyone that assumes life is that simple is in need of a serious reality check.
...Wh...what?
I don't even. This is stupid. This is the stupidest bullshit I have ever read on this forum, guys, all this "PADMA DID WRONG BY MARTEN HERE" stuff. I...how do you make your brains process this drivel? How?
Marten tried backing out twice so he could go
mope. It's not like his attraction to her would've gone away! It's not like it would've done anything but caused her last weeks there to be filled with awkward tension and then him moping over "what could've been" when she was gone! If he hadn't gone on the hike or to the dance, he would've had less fun! And for
fuck's sake, she didn't
seduce him at the apartment!! He has been broadcasting to her
"hey Padma I think you are a fine slice of delicious curry business and would be interested in trading genetic material" for almost as long as he's known her!
And...and...the end result is that he had
really good sex, and the only Bad Thing is
he's going to miss her when she's gone! She even said to
call her! She pretty clearly
likes him as a person, not just as "dick #1 to hop onto". If she was staying in Northampton, it's 99% likely she'd date him and they'd have a long and fulfilling relationship! But she can't stay, so they're just going to have to settle for having fun in the time they have left, which Marten realizes, it's just hard to come to terms with.
So...so I guess if a lady lets you have amazing sex with her but she has to leave to someplace far away and you regret that she can't stay there with you, that makes her, somehow, a "slut" or deeply in the wrong somehow? Is that really what I'm hearing? Am I on /co/ and I didn't realize it? What
is this shit?