SENTIMENTAL, LOVES TO DANCE

SENTIMENTAL, LOVES TO DANCE

“Sentimental, loves to dance and party. My goal is to become someone’s Prince Charming” posted next to a picture of a guy that looked like a mafia hitman.

“‘Lucky in life, unlucky in Love’. Need the perfect woman to change my luck.” Then a slew of requirements for what this perfect woman should be next to a picture of a nerdy, unattractive, slovenly groomed guy.

“I’m the Sugar Daddy you have dreamed of finding I know how to treat a lady” next to a guy who could be a Sumo Wrestler.

Susan surfed through all the pictures next to the clever captions posted by the “eligible” men on the dating app. She was so tired of seeing expressions on their faces that belied what the caption said.

She decided to find dating sites without pictures. Susan was an incredibly beautiful woman and her beauty attracted far more variety of men than she wanted to respond. She didn’t want to be selected because of her looks. She wanted her heart and soul and, yes, her mind, to be the determining qualities a possible mate was looking for and wanted that criteria in her selection of a possible life mate.

She posted on a website that didn’t have pictures. Of course, there was the possibility that someone was pretending to be a different age or gender than what they advertised, but she thought it would be interesting to see some of the postings.

The first few on this website were pretty shallow, then she found one that spoke to her directly.

“Searching this website for my soul mate. No pictures because I am looking for the inner beauty of a lady who both compliments and challenges me on all levels. I’m an avid reader. It’s been a lifesaver, an escape, a teacher, and a connection with worlds I could never experience otherwise. I want a companion who loves to read, maybe even wants to read the same book then discuss it with me. I never go anywhere without something to read and lately added a notebook to write down thoughts and random ideas, thinking one day, I’ll write as well as read.”

She was immediately energized as she read this posting. There was no physical description of what he wanted in a lady or what he looked like. She decided to respond.

“I, too, want no pictures to influence my choice of mates. I love to read and learned to read at age 4 because I couldn’t wait until I went to school to start reading. My father read constantly and I don’t remember ever seeing him without a book either open in front of him or carrying it under his arm. He helped me to start reading by reading to me and then he would choose one easy word for me to learn. Once I understood the word and could spell it on my own, I would go through the book and circle that word in every sentence on every page. Soon, I had enough words in a sentence to understand it. I also love to write. I write short stories. I carry a small notebook to record what I see and hear to maybe use someday in a story.” Signed Susan.

Days passed and no response to her posting. Then on the fifth day, she got a response.

“Hi, Susan. What are you reading now? Do you have a bucket list of books to read before you die? I do. I am reading “Deacon King Kong by James McBride.” Signed Lex.

I was so excited, I answered right away.

“I’m reading two books. Well, actually, I am listening to short fiction stories in “I Hold a Wolf by the Ears” by Laura van den Berg and reading “The Vanishing Half”. I also try to read non-fiction just to satisfy my snobbish idea I should read something to expand my knowledge. I have a degree in Finance. Money is another one of my hobbies. But, I found that it’s my money and how to make it grow that was my fascination and not helping clients with their money. So now, I’m a self-employed property manager which gives me the opportunity to read during the day. I don’t have a bucket list of books to read before I die, but I do have a bucket list of where I want to travel and of course, will read books to learn about those places before I travel there. Do you have any other bucket lists?” Signed Susan.

I shot the post to his inbox and the very next day got a reply.

“I, too, have a bucket list of places to visit before I die. Some are to see the places in person that are described in some of my favorite books. Agatha Christie’s books are so descriptive that I want to go to England and experience some of those story locations. I have a degree in Economics, but found it a dry and boring field to work in. I have my own business consulting with financial institutes involving current trends in investing. As you can surmise, I have to read a lot of boring, practical and non-dynamic articles. Hence, the need to escape at the end of the day into some book that is more exciting than financial matters.”

So, back and forth, went the discovery process. Susan thought he might be the person she wanted to share her life. They both agreed it was time to meet in person. They arranged to meet at a busy coffee shop and to bring their current novel to read and drink coffee together. They exchanged the title of the book they would be carrying.

On the day of the coffee date, Susan carefully chose an outfit that said very little about the person wearing it. In other words, not sexy, not frilly, and not athletic. It was a plain, but feminine shirtwaist dress she often wore when she showed properties.

She arrived a few minutes early. She got her coffee and found a table at the front of the shop near the large, plate-glass front window. As she watched passersby stroll pass, she wondered how he would look. They never discussed age or described themselves or even discussed zodiac signs. God, what if he was too young for her? Older men always had seemed attractive to her so that wasn’t a problem.

Turning her gaze around the coffeeshop, she saw her worst nightmare, Alexander Dunby. They had both worked for the same financial company right out of college. He was the one who told her that Josh, her fiance, who also worked there, was cheating on her. She was devastated and quit her job shortly after that. She had been relieved to get away from facing people who knew her humiliation and was surprised to feel some of that humiliation rise up at the sight of Alexander.

Oh, no, he was headed for her table. Although it had been years since they interacted, she immediately became tense.

He on the other hand seemed glad to see her. Then he did the unthinkable and sat down opposite her carrying the very book her blind date told her he would carry so they could recognize each other.

“Hi, Susan, you are still as beautiful as you were back at Peat, Cardwell and Stevens.”

Susan tried to smile, but her heart sank. She gave him a wan smile and said, “Hello, Alexander. How have you been? I suppose I should ask after Josh?”

“Josh and I parted ways shortly after I left the company. I haven’t heard from him since. I rarely even think of him, but you I have thought of often.”

Could she let go of the idea he knew her innermost humiliation and see what happens with this reunion?

Susan straightened her shoulders and said, “What did you think of that book? I read it so fast, I decided I should read it a second time to digest it better.”

“Well, when I finish it, maybe we could read it a second time together”.