The Prince List
The recent birth of His Royal Highness Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge has brought to mind another princely subject: goal setting. Or more specifically, how the act of writing something down really can turn a froggy wish into a handsome reality.
This story actually begins long ago, in a kingdom far, far away…many years before anyone had ever heard of Match.com.
During the “Bridget Jones chapters” of my life, I worked 24/7 and traveled constantly. One day, during a summer vacation on Cape Cod, my friend Neil cornered me, asking straight up why I was still single:
“Rattling around in that old house of yours can’t be healthy. I hate to tell you this, but you’re becoming a bit eccentric. You don’t want to end up like Katherine Hepburn, do you?”
“Of course not.”
“Well then, let’s make a list.” [Neil’s a software guy. Go figure.]
“A list of what, Neil?”
“A list of all the qualities you seek in your perfect man. Write it down. You’re a writer, so write it down.”
And that’s how the “Prince List” came into being.
To my utter humiliation, Neil found the Prince List so amusing that he began reading excerpts from it to our fellow vacationers in Provincetown. He would just approach people randomly — in a cafe, or on the beach, wherever we happened to be – and say, “This is my friend Beth. She would like a boyfriend. Do you know anyone who has these qualities….?”
Re-reading the Prince List this morning, 12 years after I wrote it and more than a decade after my wedding, I’m struck by how wise Neil was, how wonderful my husband is, and how the act of writing something down really can turn a wish into an accomplishment.
So, for anyone who has ever thrown pennies into a fountain, or whispered softly to a falling star, please heed Neil’s advice. By George, it works!
The Prince List
He must have…
- A valid passport (from any country)
- A keen intellect and a quick wit
- A full head of hair that is not blond
- Ability to drive a stick shift
- Tolerance of classical ballet
- Ability to communicate with a waiter in a language other than English
- Ability to use a semicolon
- Ability to tie a proper bowtie (no clip-on fellas need apply!)
Extra Credit Section
Ideally he would have…
- Multiple passports
- Ballroom dancing ability
- Legs like Baryshnikov