Romantic retreats may facilitate fishing fix

Opinion

DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: I’m a fisherman first and foremost, and I’m not cancelling my fly-in fishing trips this summer. I really like my new girlfriend (it may even be love) and I don’t want to lose her, but I am a fully invested angler and I love my summer fishing.

My ex-wife used to try to boss me around and I’m not the kind of guy who bends to a woman’s will. My new girl is a real firecracker and I worry she’s going to hate the fishing stuff.

How can I keep her happy and still do what I do best when and where I want? Money is not an issue for me.

— Recently Divorced, Winnipeg

Dear Recently Divorced: Maybe you should consider booking a romantic little trip with your new woman for just before one of your trips. Go all out and spoil your new lady and love her up. Then let her get started bragging to her friends.

Meanwhile, you can pack up your special fishing gear, board your plane and go off with the guys. By then, she’ll need a rest and you’ll have the freedom to fish to your heart’s content.

Perhaps you two can make a ritual of this — a romantic getaway before you head off fishing.

However, as you say, you may see a future with this woman so make sure you put real heart into your sojourns together, as they shouldn’t just function as perfunctory “payoffs” to enable your fishing forays.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: I found myself immediately attracted to the long, tall back of a man getting out of a truck next to me outside a sporting goods store.

I could see his longish curly red hair and I was mesmerized. Suddenly it hit me — it might be my old boyfriend from high school. I hurried to get up beside him, and said, “So we meet again.”

He turned and looked at me, and said, “And who are you?” It wasn’t my ex at all. I awkwardly said, “Um, I’m so sorry. You looked like my old boyfriend from high school from the back.”

He looked at me and said, “Well, I’m sorry I’m not him.” Then he laughed and gestured at a nearby bar and said, “Want to go for a drink and talk about it?”

Hey, I know a line when I hear one, but I went anyway. We had a great time over a couple of drinks, talking sports.

After an hour, I asked if I was going to see him again, and he said not if I liked chasing married men. Then, he handed me his business card with his name.

He wasn’t wearing any wedding ring. How was I to know he would have the exact same last name as my old boyfriend from the country? It ended up they were distant cousins, but they didn’t really know each other.

Am I crazy to fall for a guy with the same body and curly red hair of my ex? I dream about him every night. Help.

— Mixed-Up Feelings, Birds Hill

Dear Mixed-Up: This married distant cousin who looks like your ex may be very charming, but your strong and instant sexual reaction to him may actually be a trick of the mind. The memories and emotions flooding you as you looked at this man are likely more to do with memories of your first love.

He isn’t available, so it’s too bad he stirs these thoughts of your ex so passionate they’re ruining your sleep. What a shame there aren’t more tall, red-headed athletes in the province.

Now here’s something to cool you off — this guy might be a full-fledged cheater.

Granted, he did admit to being married at the end of your “date” at the bar, but his ring was nowhere in sight. This guy may be bad news and potential trouble.

Please send your questions and comments to lovecoach@hotmail.com or Miss Lonelyhearts c/o the Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6.

Maureen Scurfield
Advice columnist

Maureen Scurfield writes the Miss Lonelyhearts advice column.

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