The male narrator/protagonist was describing sitting in the bathroom talking to his wife who was soaking in the tub. The lights were off and he mentions turning the lights on on his way out, or something like that, and sees the water in the bathtub was red because his wife was having her period.

Updike was trying real hard tho.. he just had to use some biological thing, like peeing... ....to make some stupid "point"

golden age of misogyny, especially in literature. The "greats" are all kind of awful people. I remember reading about Hemmingway talking matter-of-factly about his "first rape."

I'll admit I'm never able manage getting through any of his work - not for want of trying.. because it's just terrible.

This passage is from Witches of Eastwick ... which is supposed to be Updike's look at femininity or something.

even if it is a metaphor, is off their rocker. It takes minutes for the pee to come out?

Holy cow.

from Amazon

While Updike remains amazingly capable of capturing women's thoughts about their bodies and their sex lives, the plot never gains momentum... Publishers Weekly

"amazingly capable of capturing women's thoughts about their bodies and their sex lives" :- My bullshit-o-meter just exploded.

a few minutes to get the pee flowing, I would be running to the DR. After a few kids and a little bit of age on me, I consider myself lucky to make it to the bathroom. He was writing this about 70 year old women. I guess only men buy Depends.

he seems to have so much interest in the female body, he doesn't have any real interest in the female body...

because I mean really:

was done by a man and he didn't know where to find it.