"Some day my prince will come."

                    That's what Snow White sang about in her high falsetto voice in the first
                    movie I ever saw. I believed as a young girl a prince would come and just
                    like the song concludes.

                    "Away to his castle we'd go."
 
 

                    Realistically, as I got older this was only going to happen if Prince
                    Charming was the UPS man who brought my catalog deliveries. So like
                    many women, I went out to dance clubs and different social events
                    looking for Mister Right. My cousin, Trisha, on the other hand did
                    nothing and took Snow White's advice to heart. She spent most nights at
                    home.

                    Many weekends would start,

                    "Want to go out dancing?"

                    Her answer would be,

                    "No, I have to paint my nails."

                    I would yell at her, telling her to get out into the world. There had to be
                    more to life than a weekly painting of fingernails. I would say,

                    "You're not going to find anybody just sitting around the house."
 
 

                    Surprisingly, she met her husband at her home away from home. Trisha
                    had a second job for years at a local department store, and while folding
                    sweaters she met Thomas. Trisha had met her Prince Charming. This was
                    truly, according to her, a match made in heaven. They even looked alike!
                    Both are dark brunettes with pale skin and brown eyes. After two years
                    of dating they got engaged and then married. Trisha's job was done. She
                    bought her castle with her Prince, and on every occasion rubbed it in that
                    with little effort she had met her man.

                    "See, I didn't need to go. You're not meeting anyone at those clubs."

                    I actually began to think that I should retire from going out.

                    I thought Trisha would live happily ever after. I never realized a Prince
                    could revert to a frog. Suddenly this terrific guy who had wined and
                    dined her was not brushing his teeth and had to be reminded to take a
                    shower. In addition there were the in-law problems. Snow White had the
                    Wicked Queen, Cinderella had the stepmother and Trisha had the
                    mother-in-law babying her precious son. I was smug. Obviously, waiting
                    by the door for the old Prince to come did not lead to a fairy-tale ending.