Spear

Two weeks ago I was on holiday. In France. I go a lot to France these days. The fact that my parents bought a fermette in Bourgogne might have something to do with it. So far I have found myself there with my parents however this last time was special as my sister joined as well. And during this week I realised once more that I really should spend some time with my sister once in a while. That it is during these prolonged periods of time that she tells me things. That we share the most private aspects of our lives. Including men. I have to admit that my sister's doing most of the sharing, not least because my love life tends to be a short story. Which is why it is important to listen and to learn.

After a couple of years of dating well-chosen and less well-chosen boyfriends, my sister realised that there is type of guy that she tends to like after all. Or rather, a type that provides the certainty you are with a man. You know, a real one. According to my sister, nortern men are real men. Not such vain, forever whining, self-important sissies who still have their mum doing their laundry. After quietly bringing up that I'm not really into blonde hair and blue eyes, I am assured it has nothing to do with that. Physical features including hair and eye-colour are mere trivials.

No, what matters is whether he's a little rough or not. The way to figure this out apparently is to imagine one's target with a spear. If the guy in question would look good with a spear, you know you're on the right track. Now, although always having had a feeling that one should stay away from guys with a relatively high-pitched voice, this is a revolutionary approach to testing the suitability of one's potential partner.

Despite sisterly assurance about certain features being completely unimportant, I am still not sure that I go for this northerly, rough, manly type. Only just out of the bearskin and probably rather hairy too. After having been told about spears and manliness I am left feeling slightly awkward before whispering that I'm still not that interested in the northerners. That I tend to be more attracted to southern types. Not particularly for lack of spear or a appropriately low voice, much less for lurking presence of mother. I just like dark hair and eyes better and well...southern guys you can kindly ask to get rid of the chesthair. But let's face it...imagine a well-groomed Italian with a spear. See what I mean? By the same token, my sister's own boyfriend, a decent Belgian from West-Flanders of average hight with broad shoulders, would not look good with a spear either. He's more of a club-type.

So is it really all about a spear? Or is it in fact about a weapon in general? Can we make an adequate guess about a guy by imagining what type of weapon would suit him best? Or does the choice of weapon actually tell us a lot more about ourselves? Perhaps my sister is a spear-girl. She likes spears but is dating a club-guy. As for me? I've always had a soft spot for a bow-and-arrow. Somehow I find it sexy. And yet...I wouldn't be surprised to end up with a sword-guy.