When he arrives, he apologises profusely for being late (he isn’t). I give him time to remove his jacket and order a glass of pompous-sounding vin rouge. Then I launch into a well-worn speech. I tell him we’ve had fun over the last few months, but that this is our last date and we won’t be seeing each other again. He looks utterly crestfallen.
Yes, he is easy on the eye — tall with a good body — but my goodness he is dull. A banker, he has a gorgeous flat in Maida Vale, north London, refuses to ever let me pay my way, but his preferred reading material is the City pages of the newspaper, while I pore over the celebrity gossip. We just aren’t on the same page. I gulp down my glass of Pinot Grigio, stand up, kiss him on the cheek and trot out the door. No regrets whatsoever.
This was 1999 and I was 28. If I sound cold, I had already called time on a good dozen relationships by that point. The endings always instigated by me. Fastforward 25 years and at 53 I am proud to say I have never been dumped by a man. I like to think this demonstrates that I know my own mind. And I’d far rather young women read about feminine trailblazers like me than those boo-hoo Bridget Jones clichés.
Yes, of course, heartbreak is a universal human experience. I’ve certainly known loss — losing beloved pets and mourning the fact I wouldn’t become a mother. Those episodes of saying goodbye were far more significant than a break-up.
The secret
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May 27, 2024 من WOMAN - UK.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة May 27, 2024 من WOMAN - UK.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
NEVER too late
Catriona had regrets about the past - but perhaps it was time to embrace her future
How many calories are YOU eating at Christmas?
Lynsey Hope tracked what she ate over the festive period, with shocking results.
Cut festive spending
The average Brit expects to spend almost £600 on core Christmas-related products and activities this year, including food, gifts, decorations, socialising and travelling*.
My little MIRACLE
After a horrific blaze, Amanda Stephenson will never forget how lucky she is to still have her son
Why it's not too late to get a flu jab
WOMAN'S GP DR HELEN WALL ON HER TOPIC OF THE WEEK
Stop the season AGEING YOU
Take our youth-boosting quiz to find out how you can keep looking and feeling fabulous.
LOSE AN INCH by Christmas
Stride into shape with our simple walking plan
How to lower your cholesterol
ANNIE DEADMAN IS HERE TO HELP YOU, THE EASY WAY!
Why are we so obsessed with MOVING HOUSE?
With more homes on the market than last year, we investigate the nation's love of selling up
The ROYAL INSIDER
THE REASONS BEHIND THE SUSSEXES' NEW MOVE