I have a piece of advice that I want to pass on to some of your male readers. Here is what it is about: Sometimes I am asked by my male friends and acquaintances for advice about which one of their "girlfriends" that they should get serious with and possibly propose marriage to. I was also asked about this by some of my male clients/patients when I was a counselor and therapist for five years. Here is what I always say:
"Choose the one who best passes the making paper-tissue pancakes for Captain Hook test."
This goes back to a story that my wife told me when we first started dating. She told me that when she was 3 years old, she had paper tissues placed on a kitchen counter. Her mother asked her what she was doing. She replied "I am making paper-tissue pancakes for Captain Hook." Her mother asked her "Why are you doing that?" And, she replied "Because I thought that if someone was nice to him that maybe he wouldn't be so mean to people."
As soon as I heard that story, I said to myself "I think that I have finally found "the right one" for me and the "girl" who I want to marry." And, so I did.
My advice to men is always the same: "Dont choose the one who is the prettiest. Don't choose the one who has the best-looking body. Don't choose the one who is the hottest and sexiest. Choose the one who best passes "the making paper-tissue pancakes for Captain Hook test." If you do, you will never regret it. I sure haven't.
By the way, my wife does have all of those other aforementioned qualities, too.
Stewart B. Epstein
Rochester, N.Y.