what did she want?
she laughed
but she thought about it
and finally decided
she wanted him to be tallish
but not too tall
and not skinny
but not fat
with brown hair
and green eyes
and freckles on his nose
she wanted him to wear corduroy blazers
wool sweaters
and button shirts with the sleeves rolled up
she hoped he wore glasses
but would sometimes let her
take them off of his face
and then they’d stare at each other
entranced
vision slightly fuzzy
not noticing the rest of the world
flying by
she hoped he could make her laugh
would blend his voice with hers
and not mind her occasional
sour note
she wanted him to be strong
and kind
and brave
and more in love with
their Father
than with her
she wanted him
to have a big heart
that loved children
and wept for the hurting
she wanted him to understand
her fascination with words
and books
and the things of long ago
but she wanted him to
make her interested in
his interests as well
she didn’t want a perfect man
because she knew she wasn’t a
perfect woman
and no one was perfect here
anyway
she just wanted a real man
an ordinary man
whose eyes crinkled when he laughed
whose chin got scruffy by bedtime
a man who would love her
just as much as she loved him
and would grow old with her
and not mind gray hairs
crow’s feet or palsied hands
and would stay with her to the end
yes, she thought
that was what she wanted
