A Horse to be Reckoned With

Mom and dad married later than their peers.  They were in their late 20s when they met and tied the knot.

Mom had gone to college, gotten a professional job as a buyer for a major department store everybody’s heard of, and was written up in the city newspaper as an “eligible single woman”, complete with a photo.  Dad had gone to the same university, was also in the Greek system, and had worked at the same department store for a spell - though they never met until he saw the article.

Independent as she was, and though she’d been proposed to several times (by several Mikes, dad always reminds us grudgingly), she stuck to her single guns for many years. 

Her parents began to wonder.  Why isn’t she married?  She’s a beautiful woman with a great job.  Social.  Outgoing.  Friendly.  A sorority girl.  A real catch.  What’s going on?  They asked, regularly.

Mom would respond, “Mom, stop worrying.  One day, some man on a white horse will show up and sweep me off my feet!”

“Honey,” grandma said, “… even if he shows up on a black horse…”

When dad tells this story, he likes to add, “And then I showed up, on my black horse…”