The Perfect Man: Part 1

     His belt matches his shoes but he spent no time thinking about it. Akin to a walking issue of GQ he manages to make others feel comfortable as they are. His compliments feel more like confident observations but inspire women to love themselves and men to push for their potential. 430 horses accompany him on his commute but he drives responsibly as though carrying precious cargo. In traffic he listens to Kipling, aloof to the mess of rage around. Perpetually early to work he's respected there and meets challenges with strength, always prepared to stand alone because nothing worth doing requires permission.

     When he leaves the firm his first thoughts are of food prep and preheating. A talent beneath the range hood, he'll have you craving veggies. Weeks after his Asian fusion dinner party you double the TJs budget looking for spice and sauce to cheat close to what was served. Though he calls to check on his mother once a week he never mentions it and be it a compliment or not would never compare another woman to her. He takes work, diet and relationships seriously but humor comes first. When you want to cry but laughing feels better, it's his fault. More important than the laughs he draws, is how consistently he knows the joke and makes you feel understood in deepest sarcasm, with a lonely laugh calling others into question.

     After benching a personal record he writes it down in private, letting the proof speak for itself and saving Instagram for family and friends. As much as he's coached through the screen his favorite teams, he spends twice the time in cleats and sweat. Not holding on to high school dreams but grounded in corporate paintball and interoffice softball, he leads. On a date he's polite and attentive, she's not sure if he even owns a cellphone. He'll make his date feel petite in heels and when they make eye contact she won't remember where they are. She feels young and beautiful with him but while she has his attention now she knows it can't be taken for granted. He's never ordered Dos Equis and never will, so long as craft brews are on tap. He's the perfect man.