Beauty & The Beast
There's this age old saying insisting that opposites always attract. It probably stemmed from the early civilizations when Men first began to comprehend the science of magnets. Or perhaps how can a seductive and temptress moon like Cleopatra fall in love with an ugly, bearded, disheveled war-mongering brute like Caesar.
It boggles me but ever so often there comes a day when I, or even you have such stigmas lingering in your head as we walk past a handsome, decent mannered lad cuddling up against his obnoxious hideous girlfriend which brings this question to our heads..."What the f**k is HE doing with an ugly f**k like her!?". Well in my case, when I see a pretty young thing with a monster, I'd go, "Seriously...what the hell does this guy have that's better than me?" And as always, I could not find an answer.
Perhaps it is just human behaviour to react that way. I blame all the fairy tales that was fed to us on a daily basis when we were kids. It is being drilled into our puny little brains that the handsome prince always wins the heart of the fair princess, or that good always trample against the bad, and the wicked witch always lives alone, tucked away in a far corner of a deep forest.
Alas, we live in the real world. A world where personality and character accounts far more than just physical attraction. I'd have to admit that looks does play an important role, but only to get one foot through the door. In the end, its the far more complex elements of a human that draws him closer with another.
And this brings me to my story of my dear 103kg friend Shaun who recently tied the knot with his 46kg hot as hell girlfriend of 12 years Anna. Congratulations you idiots, I love you guys still. I have to admit that I'm a little envious of the two of them. Envious because they managed to sail their relationship from the blossom of puberty through the secondary school years, through the poly years, and then the testing torrid times of the National Service years.
Anna could have left a pennyless Shaun during his National Service but she didn't. Instead she found a good job, was frugal with her expenses, saved whenever possible and waited for her dear Shaun to complete his NS cycle. Disappointingly, Shaun did not lose much weight during NS but then again, it wouldn't be the same lovable, huggable Shaun if he did lost weight.
My generously sized friend found a job easily after his NS because of his amiable character, the same traits that warmed Anna's heart during their courting years. I still get disapproving folks asking me what Anna sees in Shaun. And my answer was always the same. Shaun was so suave and innocent in his own unique manner that makes any girl just wanna cuddle up and snuggle next to him. There was never a dull moment when Shaun is around and there is no other guy that could keep a girl like Anna happier. You can even get all the Brad Pitts and Wentworth Millers to try woo hot Anna but still, I can guarantee you Shaun will come up tops.
And so fast forward to their wedding reception at Goodwood Park Hotel. It was a grand occasion alright. And it was great to see familiar faces from yesteryears like the guys we used to hang out with from school, to the even unfamiliar faces that's probably the friends of the bride/groom's parents. The MC was being a bitch all night, mocking Shaun because of his sheer size. But he did it in a subtle way of course and knowing Shaun, always smiling and cheerful, these comments did not affect him one bit.
Shaun laughed together with the guests at the MC's jokes as they showed the footage of old pictures and videos recollecting Shaun and Anna's past. As the best man, I gave a 5 minute speech for my dear friends who just got married and I have to admit, I almost cried..not because it was a touching speech, but because I could sense the thoughts of the folks seated in the ballroom. I could sense that in their minds, they're asking the same questions any normal person would ask.."What the hell is this girl doing with a fat guy like Shaun?".
Shaun was oblivious to it all but Anna noticed it as well. Anna being Anna, she could just turn into a bitch at the blink of an eye. She motioned to me after my speech that she wanted the microphone. "Oh oh", I thought to myself as I sensed the wrath behind Anna's deceiving smile.
Anna grabbed the mic from me and began thanking her parents, her in-laws, her friends for making this night possible. She thanked the guests for turning up and all the formalities and thank yous thats associated with weddings.
The guests were applauding, some sincerely, but most of them just followed the motion. Anna looked around at all of them before nonchalantly turning to her groom and declared, "You know Shaun, I'm amazed that you managed to keep me happier and happier each day since the day we met. I've never grown tired of you and never will. I love you like hell and no matter what people say, you're still the Beauty while I'm the Beast".
