Why Ms.?
“Ms. Bots, why are you a Ms?”
Lila turned around. “You mean why am I not a man?” she asked with a grin.
“Er, well no. I meant why aren’t you married?” he looked rather earnest as he asked this.
Lila sighed – loud and audibly. After a pause, she responded.
“Well, I am not averse to marriage. I just have not met anyone worth my time. That’s all.” She felt the need to defend herself. Again.
“Ah”, he said. “So what kind of person would you be looking for, if you don’t mind me asking?”
Lila was not thrilled. She had responded to this question many times before and it always felt like a justification for a choice that was not criminal but yet felt like it was. Yet she thought what the heck and replied,
“Well I would like someone who is on the same intellectual wavelength as me. Not paper qualifications but someone with an open mind and who thinks outside the box. Someone who is empathetic, understanding and someone I can trust. That’s it. I am not fussy about looks. But of course there has to be fire between us – self combusting sparks. Not just anything” she laughed as she said this and tossed her hair.
There. She had said her piece. Surely this was not a something out of the ordinary.
He looked at her long and hard and continued to sip his drink as he said,
“So success in a man does not matter to you?”
“What is success?” she asked. “A fast car? A Rolex watch? A fat bank account? A V shaped bod?” I don’t subscribe to material aspects of a human being’s life as success. Yes I won’t be with some lethargic leech who expects me to do all for him. But I don’t need the poster boy for some watch company to determine the worth of a man. I find that highly problematic.”
Lila’s voice was quite steady now and strong. She wanted to drive in the point that success was not measured by what you portray externally – certainly not in her book.
“Also a lot of so called successful people are very discontent deep down inside. They have many issues which they never address and continue on covering up through womanising, alcohol or cigarettes or some addiction of some sort. How is that success?”
“Well I suppose you seek something that not many can offer. Or rather, it’s not commonplace to find.” He responded.
Lila shrugged. “Most things I desire, as simple as they may be, appear to be not commonplace in the world due to a lot of factors. I understand it can be surprising for some”.
She had had enough. Of this doubt cast on her choices. What the fuck. Surely this was not a lot to ask for? Why was it such a big deal? Honestly the world had gone mad.
He smiled, sipped his drink and said,
“Well I guess you are one of those who are not easy to please. Well good luck in your search for Mr. Right” and walked away.
Lila just nodded and shook her head in disbelief to his retreating back. Mr. Right indeed. That was such a loaded term and she was honestly sick of hearing the doubtful tinge it was said with. Come what may, she would be alright as Ms. With or without ‘Mr. Right’ in her life. That’s what mattered.
She headed over to the bar to pour herself a drink.
