Mary reached out and gave Jay’s arm a squeeze. "Why don’t you have a girlfriend?" she asked. "It seems a waste. You’re perfectly presentable and have nice manners. Isn’t there anyone you could ask out, and we could all share outings like this one?"

"Well," said Jay. "As you know. I’m away out of the country quite often. It’s hardly fair to start a relationship and then buzz off for weeks at a time. Girls like a bit of attention. I can’t expect a lady to hang about waiting until I come back from swanning about the world."

Jay took a sip of drink and continued.

"Besides, the new breed of woman is somewhat aggressive. They seem to want to say, 'Kick him in the balls and announce that I’m here!'   If I want staunch, if I want assertive, aggressive behaviour; if I want success at all odds and a spirit of competitiveness and triumph, I can go and play rugby with my mates down at the club."

Jay paused and considered his words.

"What I want in a woman is softness, affection, a genuine interest in me and my life, that reflects the interest that I want to have in her. I believe it can be reciprocal and there is no reason why a woman can’t be successful in business and career, but still be loving and affectionate to that special man in her life. In the same way that I am as a man, can cut a hard business deal but still feel tender, protective and loving towards the woman in my life. It just seems that the modern, so-called liberated woman just isn’t like that."

Jay was very successful in his own right.  He had written three successful novels and was enjoying moderate success. He was presently writing a screenplay derived from one of his stories, that a Hollywood producer had commissioned at a very good price. It was expected that the film would be shot in New Zealand late in the summer, and there were several big-name stars short listed to play the feature roles. The country was now much sought after as a film location. The Lord of the Rings had recently been shot there, and his story would feature some of the rugged beauty of the North Island west coast with its craggy scenery and rolling surf.

He had started a publishing business and had four new books by local authors in production.  The forecasts for their success were very encouraging.

He had his own home, which was small and modern and his lifestyle centred around his writing and the travel he had to undertake to keep his business interest afloat. Networking had been very important to get the publishing business up and running.  Now that success was beginning to come his way, he was pulling back on so much travel and was able to conduct much more of the work from his home office on the Internet.

Financially, life was very good to him. He could devote the hours to his work that he needed and could afford some of life's little luxuries. It was just a sadness that there was no one special he could share it all with.

Mary said, "I think you should meet Anna."

"Yes!’ said Jeff. "Why haven’t we thought of her before? She would suit you very well."

"Who’s Anna?" Jay inquired skeptically.  "You’re not going to fix me up with some ugly stepsister and make me feel beholden just because you’re my friends?"

"No!" laughed Mary. "Anna is quite fabulous. She’s a lovely, gentle girl who’s not aggressive. She’s smart and funny. I think you’d get on together very well."

Mary smiled and continued.  "Mary has been working in Wellington and just moved back to Auckland. I had lunch with her on Tuesday. She was bemoaning the fact that she hasn’t met anyone nice. She said that she’s tired of having men 'coming on' to her. She just wants a nice friendship with some warmth, some fun and companionship. Not anything heavy and intense."

"We knew her at university," Jeff said.  "She’s very attractive and very level headed. I think you’d get on with her very well.

"How about we set up a date with the two of you?" asked Mary.

"Well, okay," said Jay. "But you set it all up. Find out if there’s any sort of food that she either likes or especially dislikes, and I'll book a restaurant. Give me her address, and I'll pick her up and do the honours."

Blind Date -2 (Continue)