Damsel in distress - does it work and how far should it go?

 Since I have not been in the playpen for so long many of the rules now just seem to baffle me.  One of my co-workers is what you would see from a distance as being happily married.  And I dare say if you asked him he would consider himself as such. 

The only problem is that none of us around him would consider him that.  He works and his wife is simply a housewife.  Now while I might seem resentful I am not but I know so many women that are at home and I respect them plenty for holding down the fort at home-base because heaven alone knows that takes some doing.  The only problem here is that she does absolutely nothing.  Calls him twenty times a day to ask what she should do or tell him what groceries he needs to pick up on his way home.  Sometimes he calls to tell him to run errands during office hours while she is at home – things that she can actually do and do not need heavy lifting.

Being a woman one would think I would be rejoicing and saying one for the team.  No this one gives girls a bad name.  Or maybe I am the wrong one here and would then think that that whole "useless without you" that she is fronting is what is keeping her in the home.  Is this what men find attractive - a woman totally dependent on them to the point of ridiculous?  Did I figure it all wrong and the whole “we are a team” play book needs to be thrown out?  Seriously I am baffled!! This woman is no longer a damsel but the role truly seems to be still in play!