To hear these women tell it, the best thing a white-collar woman can do is find herself a blue-collar guy:
– Noreen: ”I`m a rising professional. I have a challenging career and am working towards an advanced degree. Larry is a blue-collar man. He has dirt under his fingernails, but he knows more about alternators and crankshafts than anyone I`ve ever met. Our differences are sometimes immense. But in spite of them, I have never felt more loved. Larry is always there for me. He even runs errands for me. I`ve had relationships with professional men that left me feeling something was missing. They seemed more concerned with their latest little upset at the office than with me. Larry makes me feel special. And my car`s never been in better shape.”
– Elaine: ”I`m an executive secretary who has worked at a major computer company for 15 years. My husband has been employed at a local paper factory for 22 years. For years he worked two jobs to support us while I was home having our family. When I did return to work, there were many adjustments we had to make. I travel occasionally and not once has my husband complained. He is extremely supportive of my career and proud of my accomplishments. It doesn`t bother him that I bring home more money than he does. He never criticizes me or is jealous in any way. We love and trust each other even though we have different interests. We have been happily married now for nearly 21 years and have three beautiful daughters who love and adore us both. Our oldest will be attending college next year, our second will be attending hair-dressing school, and our youngest is an honor student in high school. We encourage them to be happy and to go after whatever profession they want to pursue. It doesn`t matter if it`s white or blue collar.”
– Toni: ”I`m a college graduate and have had dates with computer programmers, consultants, sales reps, security guards, contractors, auto-line workers, etc. Blue-collar guys listen to me, let me talk about my work, my family, what I like to do. The white-collar guys want to discuss their cars, their condos, their expense accounts and their next business trip. I met my husband on a blind date almost six years ago. One of the first things I noticed about him were his hands, which were stained with grease. I commented on them, and he told me that this was about as clean as they got. Thirteen months later, I chuckled to myself as I slipped a gold band on his grime-stained finger.”
– Terri: ”I`ve known people who have turned up their noses at Greg because of his job-he`s a mechanic-but the minute their car breaks down, they become nice. Our romance survives because when we`re together, the motor oil and the briefcase are put aside and we love each other. As far as what others think, who cares?”
And according to this blue-collar woman, the best thing for her is a white-collar man:
– Leanne: ”I met Eddie when I started working in the factory four months after my high school graduation. I was 18 and he was 23. He was putting himself through college. He said he wanted to be a lawyer someday.
”Well, we fell in love and got married two years later. He quit the factory three months after we were wed. That fall he started law school. Times were a bit tight, but we made it. He finished law school and took a job as a law clerk three hours away. He took an apartment during the week and came home on the weekends. The weekends were, shall we say, full of love and lust! This job lasted one year. He now works close to home. I continue to work in the factory. It`s been 13 years.
”At first I felt that I wasn`t good enough for Eddie. But through the years, he`s always supported me in every way. I no longer feel unimportant. He`s given me more love than I ever imagined. We just had our first baby.”
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White-collar men, how do you feel about blue-collar women? Send your reply to Cheryl Lavin, Tales from the Front, Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60611. Please include your name, address, and day and evening phone numbers. Letters may be used in whole or in part for any purpose and become the property of the column.
