May
Porcupine Man
Quite a few years back, I knew a fellow named Paulie who wanted to have money. Lots of money. He had a good trade that secured a respectable salary. Paulie was always looking to invest and to make his money grow. He read the financial newspapers and tried to learn things like the stock market.
Paulie’s big complaint was about meeting women. He wanted companionship. He stated many times that he was tired of being alone. Therein lies the crux of his problem.
Another friend had accompanied Paulie on his night out. Paulie was not as pathetic as he may have sounded. I learned that he had several chances to make the acquaintance of the ladies. In fact, one seemed quite taken by him. Paulie’s own behavior pushed them away.
Why go to meet people and then behave rudely?
One night when our crew got together, we asked Paulie about it. His reply was that he knew all those women wanted was his money. He was avoiding the gold diggers. At that point, one of the women in our crew laughed. She said, “Paulie believe me, they liked YOU. You don’t have that much money.”
I don’t know if Paulie got the message or not. Circumstances had him working in another town, and we rarely saw him after that.
The point is that Paulie’s own suspicion kept from him the thing he wanted most. It was he, and he alone, who sabotaged his love life. The thing he feared existed only in his own suspicious mind.
Caution is a good thing, but it must be tempered with common sense. Otherwise it becomes paranoia. We need to proceed confidently. Fears, even if small, ought not deny us the good we deserve.
When in doubt, trust your fears to a trusted friend. He will be much more objective and tell you if they are unfounded.
