Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Guest Post: "TYPE" by Karen Chilton Wilder


I regularly read and enjoy Karen Chilton Wilder's blog, "Girl on a Wire", and so I was delighted when she agreed to appear on "Romance Righter". "Type" was originally posted on her blog and was very popular, so we thought you would enjoy it, too! Welcome, Karen!
 
What could the dating experiences of little old me - a 40-something, recently divorced mom - possibly have in common with those of a 23 year old gay man?

As it turns out, quite a bit.

In fact, as it turns out, gay men and straight men may have far more in common with one another than either group might like to admit.  A recent chat with my friend Kyle had us both in stitches over the “types” we’ve discovered in the course of our (mis)adventures in dating.

A sampling:

·       The Pretty Boy.  I can’t go out with this guy because his hair always looks better than mine.  Ditto for Kyle (and really, this is a crime, because Kyle has fabulous hair).  Ladies and gents, if it walks like a Ken doll, talks like a Ken doll, and never met a mirror it wasn’t ready to make love to, it’s likely The Pretty Boy you’re dealing with.  Nice arm candy, but be warned: he’s only got enough love for himself.

·       The Clooney.  This is a tough one.  Dashingly handsome, but with serious talent and substance to boot.  Has avoided commitment thus far, but causes everyone he comes into contact with to swoon in hopes of being ‘The One.’  But let’s get real, kids.  How many of us are truly in a class with Amal?  Keep your head on straight.  Your skivvies, too.

·       The Pious One.  Maybe he’s an actual pillar of his particular religious community.  Maybe he’s just religious in his devotion to yoga, meditation, or his vegan diet.  But this is the man who gets you singing ‘Son of a Preacher Man’ in the shower and has you swearing you’ll convert.  You know - right up until the religious exclamations at romantic moments throw a wet blanket over your desire.  Put down the Kool Aid.  You know he’s gonna dump you for a blonde with family money anyway.

·       The Trust Fund Brat.  Speaking of family money…  This is that delightfully soft, sweet guy - the one with wild stories, sparkling eyes, and a prep school past.  He’s the one you fall for immediately.  And it’s mutual.  The problem?  He comes with more strings attached than a marionette, and at the end of each is a family member so horrific only monarchies are creepier.  Give it a whirl - but keep scissors and running shoes handy.

·       The Life of the Party.  This is the guy whose dating site profile lists him as “fun loving” and features an adult beverage in every photo.  It’s also sort of silly that he even has a dating site profile at all, since Tinder is more his style.  If you’re looking to wake up bruised, hung-over and naked on a yacht you don’t remember boarding, this is the guy for you.  Otherwise?  Not so much.

·       The Strong & Silent.  Oh, this one’s a doozy.  He’s handsome.  Mysterious.  Says more with a glance than he ever does with those sultry lips of his.  And you know what?  It’s because he’s got nothin’.  There’s either not a whole lot going on between those lovely ears, or he has some terrible, soul-deep scars that prevent him from expressing himself.  You’d do better dating the Dos Equis guy.  At least he comes with a script.

·       The Momma’s Boy.  This man-child starts out looking great (He’s so good to his mother!  So respectful!  So deferent!  What’s not to like?), but eventually he makes Norman Bates seem rational.  His mommy’s got him convinced that he’s Special…and no one is good enough for her boy.  Are you deluded enough to think you are?  She’ll spare no effort in slowly, painfully proving you wrong.  And your Prince Charming?  Don’t wait for him to come to your rescue.  There isn’t even a problem.  There couldn’t be.  His momma can do no wrong.  Advice?  Run.  Just run.  For fuck’s sake, run now

We identified a couple of notable others (God’s GiftThe Wandering Penis), but as these types seemed to overlap a bit with those detailed above, I’ll leave them to your imagination.

As for me and Kyle, we have no idea why we’re still single.
After all, we’re perfectly pleasant in every way…  ;)


k.c. wilder is the author of the Amazon bestselling chick lit novel Fifty Ways to Leave Your Husband, the Heather Hollow series of YA paranormal fiction, the novella Seattle Postmark, and the short fiction trio Wrecks.   She also proudly contributed the short story 'The Mermaid' to Merry Chick Lit, a compilation with all proceeds benefiting breast cancer nonprofit Rocking the Road for a Cure.  Her short story 'Lady in Red' appeared in A Kind of Mad Courage, with all proceeds benefiting The Guthy-Jackson Charitable Foundation.  Her work has appeared in The Providence Journal, Grace: A Magazine for Women, EspressoFiction, and Glimmer Train.
 

Buy link for Fifty Ways to Leave Your Husband: 

Buy link for Seattle Postmark:

1 comment:

  1. This is funny. I've totally dated The Life of the Party and The Strong and Silent and regretted both. I learned to avoid The Pretty Boy a long time ago :).

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