Husband in training
Fifteen years ago, a guy pal 10 years my junior was bemoaning that he wanted to be married. Really wanted to be married. I asked him some key questions, then announced my diagnosis: He needed to know how to act like a husband. Then the women he dated would see he was ready for marriage. So I adopted him as my Assistant Husband in Training. I was sure my husband wouldn’t mind my new project, as long as there were no marital privileges.
We started his training regimen immediately. We were at a professional convention in a downtown hotel. I said, “Let’s begin” and slipped my arm through his for a stroll through the surrounding shops.
“Let’s go into that jewelry store so we can shop for engagement rings.” He complied — he was already being a good trainee! After trying on the biggest diamonds in the store, I chose the one I thought would show his pseudo undying devotion to me and got his agreement. We thanked the jeweler and promised to return later.
In a clothing store he learned to say, “That color brings out your beautiful eyes,” “That style would be hot on you,” “I’d love to take you to dinner in that outfit,” and “Do you need shoes to go with that?” He was a quick study on how to make a woman feel special.
We headed off to lunch. I made sure he knew to open the doors, escort me to the table, pull out the chair, and maintain interested conversation and eye contact. And of course, pick up the bill.
Over the next year we continued our intermittent training program. He’d call periodically and ask how to impress one of his dates. Then he met a woman he decided was a fit, so wanted suggestions for ways to woo her. I was such a good trainer and he was such a good student, he was married within the year!
Don’t you wish the men we date enlisted in boyfriend training, then graduated to husband training? And wouldn’t you love to have a mentor teach you how to entice a man and keep him interested for years? Where are such schools? What would you want to see men taught in such a training program, beyond the requisite pick up your wet towels and don’t chew with your mouth open?
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Adventures in Delicious Dating After 40 
January 5, 2007 at 8:51 am
Private Daley reporting for Boyfriend Bootcamp Sargeant!
January 5, 2007 at 11:17 am
Silly Bruce. Don’t you know I’m the General? Five stars! They look great on my tiara.
And since you’ve already read the manual (this blog), you are ahead of the other recruits — except for that pesky *physically* reporting for duty bit!
(Gals — Bruce has committed to buy his plane ticket by Jan. 9 to come see me before the end of the month. Let’s see if he goes AWOL or actually makes it! Stay tuned.)
January 5, 2007 at 6:29 pm
Bravo Bruce! You are clearly a fun, risk taking gentleman that looks like he just may be worthy of our DG!
January 5, 2007 at 7:31 pm
Congrats, DG. Hmmmm, maybe I’ll ask him to schedule a layover in my neck of the woods on his way back home . . . I think you need a little competition. ;o)
January 5, 2007 at 8:03 pm
Traci — we already have competition — closer to home! Ask him about Tennis Gal, and I’m sure there must be others!
Christine — I’m glad you think Bruce is worthy! But really, a man who takes 4 months to meet a woman — is that DG worthy?
🙂
January 20, 2007 at 12:10 pm
Too much build up! Too much pressure! Hope it went well, but I have my doubts…
January 21, 2007 at 2:02 pm
AS:
We’re just playing here — tweaking Bruce a bit. But hey, gals, Bruce and I are having brunch next Sunday! We’ll see how it goes in person as we have a nice phone and email relationship.