[wouldntbprudent]

Your story---and it was touching, sir---reminded me of hearing a young man explain once why he had decided to remain a virgin until marriage.

He said he was quite sure that sex wasn't all there was to marriage, but that once participated in, he was quite sure it would become all he thought about for a good long while. He said were he having sex with his girlfriend, he would have no way of knowing if he really liked her, and if he would like her for the long-term, because his view would be so obscured by sex. So he'd decided to wait.

Which is rather like your wise words that those looking for a good wife should find someone they would like "even if she were your sister." IOW, someone you just like, regardless of all the romance and passion that also swirls around.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

It would be more touching if I had hit upon the mot juste to reply to the unsolicted and completely unnecessary apology. For the most part even l'esprit d'escalier. fails me. Something "clever" like "anything over a mouthful is wasted" or "apology accepted" would have been a disaster. Saying big boobs just get in the way during sex, or that big boobs were overrated would have appeared to be a less than truthful evasion. In the event, I ignored the comment.

As to your young man, sometimes I fantasize that if I had my life to live over, I would have met my wife sooner and she would have been the only woman I was ever with. I don't think I would have missed anything that I consider important, but how would I have known?