Would
she or would’t she do it? Sophia looked at the add in the
personals and thought ‘losers’. And yet her life
wasn’t going anywhere either. She hadn’t met anyone
for years and was sick of being on her own. What would be the
worst that could happen she asked herself?
Since her breakup
with Michael she had been depressed and unable to imagine that
there would be anyone out there who would be remotely interesting
to her. And yet if her life was to continue like this she would
become an old maid.
Getting up, she
fetched a clean sheet of paper and pen. She sat down and stared
out the back window for a while, not really seeing. It was a
beautiful afternoon, as the sun hit the window panes tracing
long shadows on the dark, timber floor. Sophia was thoughtful.
What would she say about herself? Could she be honest? Perhaps.
She began.
‘Lonely,
intellectual, opinionated, sometimes aggressive, often impatient
woman wants a caring, funny, attractive, sensuous partner.’
She considered
it for a moment and then thought that perhaps she should leave
out sensuous. That might attract all the sex-maniacs. Perhaps
she should also leave out attractive. All men thought they were
attractive - their mothers had told them so. Ok. What about funny?
Well funny was subjective. Maybe leave that off too. Caring –
now that was a good word, but would they imagine that she would
be too needy? Better cross that one out. She read the add again.
‘Lonely,
intellectual, opiniated, sometimes aggressive, often impatient
woman wants a man.’ That should do it, she thought, as
she stuffed the ad into an envelope and mailed it off to the
paper.