Search For A Hero Finding Mr Right

Trina was looking for that one very special quality in the new man in her life…

Trina was again scouring the Lonely Hearts column in her magazine… Single gent, tall, fair, 42, non-smoker, loves dogs and long walks… Lonely divorced man, looking for a happy gal to share love and life, 45, sporty, 6`, own hair… Young widower, 50, cuddly, dark, tall, seeking lady to help enjoy life again…

“Any luck?” asked Amanda, peering over her shoulder. Trina sighed and shook her head. “Not yet.”

Amanda worried about her friend’s despondency. “Hey, this one sounds all right. And he’s posted a picture, too.”

“Hmm,” Trina nodded. “But you can see from that picture that he’s not what I’m looking for.”

Amanda was puzzled. “Because of that great big hound he’s holding onto?”

“No, because of… oh, it doesn’t matter.” Trina turned over the page and got up. “Any more tea in the pot?”

“Gallons,” Amanda murmured, knowing this wasn’t really the answer.

She had been concerned about Trina since her divorce from Russ – his doing. Trina had withdrawn into her shell and stayed there. No matter how much Amanda, and their other friends, tried to get it into her head that she was still a young and attractive woman who was sure to find another, truer, love before her next birthday, Trina never responded to any of their well-meant attempts to fix her up with someone.

There was Mark, from Despatch. No good, apparently, because… well, she never actually said. Then Jason, from Audit. Not him, either, because… Again, no reason given.

Amanda had drawn the conclusion that Trina had just given up on men for life, at the tender age of forty, and was destined to live lovelessly forever.

Trina opened her wardrobe and stared at the array of clothes and shoes. She never wore any of them now because she had no reason to. All she did was work, or shop, or hike on the cliffs when the weather was mild – and you didn’t need nice dresses and sparkly shoes for any of those.

Although, she sighed, it would be so nice to. So wonderful to put on her favourite silver dress and go on a night out with some handsome, dashing beau.

She smiled sadly to herself. They weren’t so hard to find, and her best friends were doing their best to matchmake, but… well, once bitten twice shy, as the saying goes.

After Russ, she knew exactly what she wasn’t looking for in a man.

And unfortunately, so far, all the names that had been mentioned or pictures and Lonely Hearts that had been put in front of her, had precisely that unessential quality.

It wasn’t that they weren’t good looking. Far from it, in a few cases. It wasn’t that they didn’t sound as if they were into the same things as her, or were into things she had no idea about. To the unknowing – that is, Amanda and pals – they would seem perfect. It was just… Trina sighed again, closed her wardrobe and unwittingly thought about Russ. Not in a wistful way. She was well and truly over him, probably had been even before he announced that he’d met someone else.

Her friends didn’t realise. They thought she was still pining, brokenhearted. Far from it. Trina knew she’d welcome a new guy into her life with open arms. She knew too that she ought to tell Amanda & Co this – come clean, explain what it was that held her back. But she felt so foolish. It was something any woman would feel uncomfortable admitting to – if she had mates like Trina’s who regarded her Nemesis as one of the greatest joys known to womankind.

Afew days later, Trina had to take her car to the garage for its MOT. It was the same garage she’d always used, and she expected to see the same old guy there who knew her, and her car, well.

But to her surprise, there was someone different in Reception. “Hi. How can I help?” “Er – my car… MOT,” she stammered, taken aback. The new boy clicked on the laptop. Obviously he was now in charge. “Ms Baker?” Trina nodded. She was distracted by him, she couldn’t help it. He was very good-looking, had a radiant smile, and above all… well, it was when he stood to open the jar full of key-tags that Trina realised he ticked every box.

“Sam, your Mum’s on the phone,” one of the mechanics said, wiping his hands as he came into the office. “She wants you to call in somewhere on your way home…”

A basic message, yet to Trina it was hugely significant. He lived at home! He wasn’tmarried!

Trina felt a TINGLE down her spine that she hadn’t felt in a LONG TIME

Maybe had been, like herself, but the fact that he didn’t wear a ring either seemed to confirm it. Trina felt a tingle down her spine and a surge of excitement that had been absent from her life for a long while.

“Do you want to wait while your MOT’s done?” Sam asked.

She hadn’t been going to, but now she was. “Yes,” she said, sitting down. There was a free coffee machine for customers but she hardly noticed.

It was quiet at the garage that day, and Sam began making conversation. He explained how he’d taken over so the fellow who’d had the business for years could retire. He said it was handy because he only lived a short way away, near the Downs. “I love the Downs,” Trina said. “I haven’t for ages,” Sam confessed. “Shameful. But who knows, perhaps I’ll set aside time to do a bit more now.”

The invitation hung in the air, unspoken.

It only took a few more visits to the garage to give it voice. “I’ll meet you Saturday, at Snatchett’s Lane,” Sam said to the beaming Trina, who couldn’t believe how her luck slowly seemed to be turning. “Great,” she said breathlessly. And it was great. One thing led to another, and after a couple of months of walks, pub lunches and drives to the coast, Sam and Trina officially declared themselves an item.

Then, of course, it was time to meet her mates…

No one was more curious than Amanda. She couldn’t wait to meet the man who’d completely regenerated her best friend’s life. In the weeks since she’d met this Sam, Trina had positively blossomed.

“Where are we meeting up then?” she asked Trina.

“Dixie’s,” Trina replied, zipping up her shiny silver dress.

It was a wonderful evening. Everyone got on and had a great time. Mostly, the other girls were so pleased Trina that was no longer a loner.

“Well, what do you think of him?” she asked Amanda, glowing radiantly when they met in the Ladies’.

“He’s a lovely guy,” Amanda said, “You can just tell he’s a really nice person, and –” “Good-looking?” Trina butted in. “Fairly, I suppose” Amanda said. “It’s his smile…”

“And nothing you don’t like?” Trina asked, wheedling curiously.

“Well…” Amanda shrugged and dropped her lipstick back in her purse. She and Trina were peas in a pod, she would never lie to her. They’d known each other too long to ever take offence when the other said what they truly, honestly thought. “Yes?” Trina had a glint in her eye. “Well,” Amanda said, “If there’s one thing – just one, and a very minor thing at that… in fact so minor it hardly matters at all… well –” “Spit it out!” Trina chuckled. “Well – he’s not very tall, is he? I mean, not that it matters, of course, but when you were dancing to the slow ones I couldn’t help noticing how he’s actually the very same height as you – and that’s only 5`3, isn’t it?”

When Amanda turned to look, Trina was nodding and having a fit of the giggles at the same time for some unknown reason.

“I mean – not that that’s a problem, I mean – it doesn’t make him any less of a lovely guy, or anything…” Amanda stuttered. “It’s just – you wouldn’t really want to wear heels when you’re with him, would you? And that’s why you’re in your flatties tonight, I suppose. I did wonder…” Amanda went on,babbling. “I mean, you know me and my obsession for heels, the higher the better. Oh dear, I don’t know how I’d cope with a short guy… And you, I know you’ve got a lovely collection of heels, back from the days of You-KnowWho, but of course, he was tall, wasn’t he? Over six foot or –”

“Amanda! Belt up!” Trina was doubled-up with laughter. “I don’t mind wearing flatties. In fact, in fact…” She hesitated, deciding to wait until they were less giggly and tipsy.

Then she’d tell Amanda that the truth was, she’d always hated high heels and now she’d found the guy who was right in every single way, she had no reason to wear them ever again!