All Woman

When Prince Charming is shorter, balder and younger than you dreamt

Monday, April 26, 2010

WHAT happens when you find 'the one' and he's not what you expected? Below, some women share how they found their prince in frog's clothing, and managed to look past the childhood expectations of Prince Charming and find their soulmates where they least expected it.

'The one' wasn't rich or handsome

When 75- year- old Verdie Allen stood before the pastor to say 'I do' to Winston 37 years ago, she never expected it to be with someone who didn't own his own property, didn't have a motor vehicle and who was not the 'face boy' she had always imagined spending the rest of her life with.

But one thing was certain even from then -- he loved her dearly. Added to that was the fact that he possesed two things she always wanted in a man -- height and he delivered good treatment.

"I never loved short men at all," the five feet four woman laughed. "I loved tall men. A man came from America to marry me. He had money, he would take all kinds of things for me, but he was short. I couldn't deal with that."

So despite Winston's lack of good looks and physical assets, Verdie fell in love with him. Thirty-seven years later, she has no regrets.

"I never wanted a poor man, but mi get it," she laughed, as her 76-year-old husband stood close by listening with a smile.

"But I wanted someone who could help me as a woman," she added.

Verdie, who was working at a factory making cigars at the time she met her husband, said land, money and the ability to give her everything she needed was once high on the list of things her suitors should possess.

"But sometimes it's not what you want you get," she said simply. "What you want may not be the best thing for you."

And though the 37 years were not all perfect, Verdie said she has no regrets.

"I love him and he treats me well," she said. "Though we may not have money, we are happy.

She recalled being at home and going into labour when her husband was right by her side.

"Two times he delivered the babies right there at home before the midwife arrived, how many men would do that?" she asked.

Verdie and Winston have six children.

'The one' is another girl

For Kellie, a Montego Bay resident, her relationship with a man she thought was right for her turned out so traumatic, that after leaving him, she found her Prince Charming in another woman.

"I lived with a man for five years and had a child for him. But he was very abusive and he was cheating," Kellie told All Woman. "He would abuse me verbally and physically."

So traumatic was his abuse that after a while, she became very suicidal.

"I thought the abuse was my fault. When I was at work he would accuse me of cheating. Yet, he would leave home and not show up until the following day," she said.

She recalled coming home from the supermarket one day and as she entered the house an argument ensued. He knocked her flat to the ground while accusing her of being out cheating.

She did the only thing she could -- she started running, oblivious of her surroundings and leaving her five-year-old daughter and all her earthly belongings behind. She stopped running only when she got to her mother's house, three and a half miles away. She never looked back in the direction of another man.

The next time she fell in love, it was with a woman.

"I find that being involved with another woman is more fulfilling. Some females are more understanding," she explained. "She is more emotional, and she will not do the things she knows will hurt you because she understands how it feels herself."

'The one' is younger

Michelle C, feels she has found the perfect man in someone 10 years her junior.

Here is her story.

"Oniel and I met through a mutual friend. I was single at the time and so was he. My girlfriend was always trying to hook me up with someone because she said that I was 'going to waste'. So one Monday her guy asked her if he could take one of his friends to introduce to me. She asked and I agreed.

In the initial stages, I was very hesitant about going into a relationship with Oneil, especially when I learnt his age. He was in his mid 20s and I was in my mid 30s and already had two children and was not looking for a fling either.

Anyway, we started calling each other on a daily basis and developed closeness over the phone. He asked me out on a date which I agreed to because it was a group kind of date. It was fun and we decided to go on another date. I still had reservations because of the age difference between us. But by then, I realised that I wanted to be around him every chance I could get. There were some constraints with us seeing each other because of his work hours, so we decided to hook up on a phone plan so we could talk.

As they say, the rest is history. We are now in a committed relationship and have started a family together. I have found Oniel to be responsible, caring and a gentleman. He is the type of person who will wash and cook for me and take care of my children. He was a great support for me when I was pregnant. He is a very involved father and will go to great lengths to ensure that our home is provided for. He is the quintessential man. He still takes me gifts and will go to the market for me.

I still have my moments when I think about our age differences, but the good outweighs these moments. I know that I bring a lot to the table because I have a lot to offer to the relationship and because of the compatibility between us, I believe that ours has a good chance of surviving.

Oniel possesses all the qualities that make a relationship workable and although he is younger than I am, I feel fulfilled because he is a great friend and a great lover and a good father."

Did you watch American football's Super Bowl on Sunday?
	Yes, but just for the advertisements
	Yes, just for the game itself
	Yes, for both the game and advertisements
	No, I did not watch the Super Bowl.

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