"What's with you men? Would hair stop growing on your chest if you asked directions somewhere?"

In this quote, Erma Bombeck is playfully poking fun at the stereotype that guys are frequently too happy or persistent to request help or instructions. She is questioning why males appear to have a worry of appearing weak or incompetent if they were to request for support. The mention of hair growing on their chest is an amusing exaggeration, indicating that males's masculinity would not be impacted by simply requesting for directions. In general, Bombeck is highlighting the societal expectations and gender roles that can restrict guys from seeking aid or confessing when they are lost.