The Perfect Manboy

As adept as I as at maximizing my crush-fueling exposure to mysterious and intriguing strangers when the opportunity arose, like most suburbanistas I was alas predominately alone. Curled up in the pink papasan chair so like a satellite dish constructed to concentrate the rays of Nickelodeon and MTV into my day-dreaming mind. Don’t let my vapid gaze fool you, Dear Reader, I was hard at work crafting my Perfect Manboy.

As I wrote on January 22, 1990 he would be “a friend & equal, not a strong hero type to protect me.” I imagined myself to be a tough heroine, like Princess Leah in Return of the Jedi (1983) or Karen Allen in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). If he had to rescue me I would protest and pout especially if there was a sexy villain-provided dress involved (size 0, please!).

I also noted that he need be “clever, not a jock or male chauvinist.” Clever remains as important today as it did then and I continue to avoid male chauvinists at all costs, but it must be admitted that my stance on jocks has softened over the years. In fact, I rather enjoy watching men throw and catch balls now, and encourage my special man friend to do so as often as possible.

As for looks, I closed my eyes and the actor Nicholas Rowe from Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) appeared with his “small lips, tall and lean.” This look later evolved into my high school sweetheart “Mike” about whose “slightly long curly hair” I devoted many a diary word.

Although over the years I would kiss many and certainly “any nationality” in the end I find myself back again with my ideal tall and lean, small-lipped fellow. I find his occasional “moustache & beard” as well as his “really weird” quite irresistible. You would be quite pleased, Twelve (-year old self).