Wait for me while I...

"I'll be waiting...You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess..." Lyrics from Love Story by Taylor Swift

Have you ever noticed how men are always waiting for women? The fact of the matter is, men have been waiting for women since the beginning of time.

I don't know about you, but to me the sight of men waiting for women is right up there with holding the door open, pulling out her chair or helping her with her coat.

I imagine a lot of fellows put everything on hold while they wait.

Come to think of it, I don't see many young men waiting around; they're probably in too much of a hurry. It's mostly the older guys in cars with windows rolled down and radios turned up, lingering on benches while watching passersby at the grocery store or thumbing through Times and People magazines in doctors' offices.

One nods off at the laundry mat while she folds underwear. Another stands by the curb while his wife rummages in a yard nearby.

Every time I go shopping, I see what appears to be a completely bored man hanging out alone in Ladies Wear. He's holding her purse while she's trying on clothes in the dressing room. Talk about the possibility of a long wait!

Considering how much time these guys spend waiting, I figure they must be sacrificing something: teeing off with the boys, catching the game on TV, gambling at the casino, tilling the garden, shooting a few hoops or tinkering in the garage.

My father was not a patient waiter, but my husband is, which makes me wonder about the conversations that are a part of the waiting dance...

Maybe she says, you don't have to stay, and he replies, I'll wait anyway. Or maybe she promises, I'll only be a minute, and he says, take your time. If she warns, don't go wondering off, does he promise, I won't? If she asks, will you hold my purse while I try this on, does he respond, O.K.?

I imagine there's bargaining, too...

If you come to the grocery store with me, you can do whatever you want afterward. I'll bake your favorite cookies if you help me with the laundry. If you go clothes shopping with me, I won't make you go to church.

Now that I think of it, I never see these men upset or impatient in the least bit as they wait. They have a quiet calm about them. I'd like to think these patient stewards of women's agendas are really great guys who want to be supportive.

I salute this dying breed of princes as they wait for their princesses.

2010 © Copyright Paula Damon. A resident of Southeast South Dakota, Paula Damon is a national and state award-winning columnist. Her columns have won first-place in National Federation of Press Women, South Dakota Press Women and Iowa Press Women Communications Contests. In the 2009 and 2010 South Dakota Press Women Communications Contest, Paula's columns took first-place statewide. To contact Paula, email pauladamon@iw.net, follow her blog at www.my-story-your-story.blogspot.comand find her on Facebook.