Can men & women be just friends?

Am sure you have heard this query many times. You may have even asked yourself this question or may have tried to be "just friends" with someone of the opposite sex from you. 

It can work, however, both people must be at a maturity level at which they can suppress any chemistry, any physical attraction that may be there. All for the sake of truly preserving a friendship.

No, I'm not talking about the bullshit FWB or FB. Those are bullshit lures which are used out of selfish gratification needs. Talking actual friendship, here. Anything that would be considered illegal or inappropriate between blood brothers & sisters is not really friendship. 
Yeah, my BLOG, so, my opinion.Ha ha.

When a girl and a guy have been involved sexually, then one of them wants to be "just friends", that's bullshit. 
Ex says "Let's be friends" = Let's never talk again or I can call you if I need to get laid.

Funny, none of my girlfriends (straight or otherwise) have ever tried nor expressed a desire to penetrate my parts with theirs. The guy would have to have an uber understanding buddy who would suck his dick out of love for him as a "friend."
In my experience, the only time a guy wanted to stay "friends", was when he felt that his ex would be handy as a back up hook up when his dick got hard or when she was sad & horny, she could call him.

NOPE

That's not only unhealthy, it's unhealthy and unfair to both people.

For a long long azz time, I was "just friends" with a very cool guy. There was sexual tension between us, there was chemistry. Both of us refrained from acting on it. That was a true friendship.

There was a time in my life when I had a slight re-connect with a guy I'd had a huge crush on a long time ago. For me, it was more than a crush. Long after we went our separate ways, I thought of him, dreamed of him. Spent 10 years writing a book, yes, an actual book about him to rid myself of the feeling. It was cathartic for me. After the book was finished, he and I got back in touch.
I was married, he was married, so, in my heart & mind, it wouldn't go further than phone conversations.
For me, it was simple curiosity about the man he was, the man he had become. That was all.

Have been told that I have a sweet, soothing, sexy voice. I speak, the sound emerges, just my voice.
Also, am a nice person, which some guys interpret as being "into" them. Being into them or simply enjoying a conversation, if a guy is married, that's it for me. 

So, "the guy" asked if it was okay for him to call me from time to time as a friend. It was a happy moment for me. We could not be more than friends especially with the distance separating us, very safe.
He and I talked every other day about politics, religion, life, kids. At one point, when I made a very forthright statement about a particular female politician being more smart than pretty, he burst out in surprised laughter. He told me that he liked me better, the way I am, now. I told him, I have always been this person, that he just didn't get to know me back then.
He paused, then said, "Well, I'm not going to leave my wife.!"

WHAT????

It was a very alarming, very shocking statement, to me. There was not even a thought of either one of us leaving our spouses, in my mind, in my intent. Never. It offended me deeply to have him think I was of such a low caliber.
After him making such a presumptuous statement, I had to let him go. Disconnected the call.
We didn't speak again for a week. It was a relief. I was also a bit disappointed that this man who was so human, so genuine, could believe that my intention was so dishonorable.

The next time we spoke, when he made the same presumptuous statement, he told me he wanted to meet me in person. That was a scary moment. 
It was followed by, "But I'm not going to leave my wife."
ARRRRGGGGH!
I was ready.
"Well, please don't worry, if we DO meet in person, I won't chuck you under a table & try to have my way with you or EVER beg you to run off with me."
He laughed. I was serious.
All I wanted was to get to know him as a friend. Simple.

Some good things just end. Just as this did. Maybe SOME men & women can be friends, this guy had other plans which I would not have gone along with, ever.

Since then, I have learned that it's a tricky, sticky tight-rope balance for me, personally, to try to be friends with a guy. The guy has tried to make it into something else every time except for one exception.  If he's married, I will only be very slight friends with a guy if I am a close friend of his wife. Best to avoid temptation or inspiring temptation in someone else.

Work, for me, at both jobs, is an all female environment.  It seems so much easier to be able to be myself without any sexual tension or fear of someone misreading my actions or meanings.