Corrections or additions?
This article was prepared for the October 2, 2002 edition of U.S. 1 Newspaper. All rights reserved.
Between the Lines
Never have we been so happy to see the smiling face
of Bob Dole. Given the subject of this issue — therapies for erectile
dysfunction — it was difficult to find a representative cover
image. Then we remembered the Pfizer ads that featured Dole in late
1998 and early 1999. These ads were meant to educate men and their
partners about the medical problem, for which Pfizer’s Viagra is one
treatment. Dole talked about the courage that it takes to confront
this problem, saying, “I found that difficult things take courage
but it is worthwhile.”
Since then Texas Ranger Raphael Palmero and NASCAR driver Mark Martin
have been featured in Viagra ads (Martin drives the car that Viagra
sponsors in the 36-race Winston Cup). But Bob Dole will fondly be
remembered (as he was in the New York Times of Tuesday, October 1)
as one of the first public figures to come forward and talk out loud
about a problem previously confined to whispers.
On a different topic, if you are a regular singles ad
reader, you may remember this ad’s witty eccentricity:
SWM. New to Area Seeks Fellow Adventurer: This
38, 6’0″, 175#, golden blonde hair blue eye male with plenty of dead
white male ancestors dating to the third wave of Pilgrim migration
in 1640s seeks partner in negotiating central New Jersey back roads
to explore theater and concert venues on weekends. As a Gemini I have
many faces — a few include — no television set/spectator sports
watching for at least 15 years — classical pianist currently retraining
technique — heels go all the way to the floor in yoga-downward
dog position (finally!) — have refinished most of the antique
furniture in my apt – active practitioner of astrology – trader for
hedge fund as my day/night job. Where would you like to go Saturday
night?
The ad ran in September, 2001. Three women answered this blondeblue-eyed male, and by May he was engaged. The happy couple has scheduledtheir wedding for Saturday, October 19.Those of us who are romantics at U.S. 1 are pretty delighted aboutthis, as are the bride and groom, and they agreed to share their stories.”Part of a good match is luck, part is what you put into it,”says the bride. “Both of us have had our hearts broken in thepast.”The bride, Claire Eggers, works in the managed care contracts departmentat Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals on College Road West, and she saysthat if the man she is to marry had been described to her, “Iwould have thought he was not my type.”Her groom was an Eagle Scout, Order of the Arrow. “And I havenever been in a tent in my life,” says Eggers. He is also a zealousstudent of medieval astrology, “and I wouldn’t think that wasmy thing,” says Eggers. “Also he is not necessarily of mypolitical persuasion. Yet I hear my three-year-old son tell him thingshe never tells me. He is a very serious and reliable person.”The groom, Sam Hewitt, is a classical pianist turned commodities trader.The son of an Episcopal priest and a music teacher, he spent his teenageyears in Houston and majored in music at the University of Montana.He works for a Princeton-based firm and analyzes the broad, long-termtrends of the global market.This will be Hewitt’s first marriage. He has dated women he foundthrough personal ads on Yahoo and through Internet dating services.”And several years ago I did the Russian fiancee thing throughthe Internet, but my fiancee went back and decided to stay there.So I decided to stay with American women.”Of course, with his interest in astrology, he carefully timed theplacement of the singles ad according to his chart, and he says thatEggers’ response was definitely the right one. “Historically Ihave gone out with older women, and that is in my chart,” he says.A regular reader of U.S. 1’s arts and entertainment section, Hewittused the newspaper to find the destination for his first date withEggers, a production at the Murray-Dodge theater on the PrincetonUniversity campus.Eggers, who has been married, tells this story: “Ihad not dated for a couple of years, and I kept putting it off. Ispent nine months like Hamlet saying I really should act. Last year,early in September, I noticed the singles section in U.S. 1 and sawSam’s ad. He sounded interesting, and I thought at least I wouldn’tbe bored. On Monday, September 10, I was stuck somewhere in a carin the rainstorm, so I answered the ad and mailed it that day. HadI waited another day I might not have answered it. I have a strongfeeling of fate on this one.””I heard from Sam on Thursday, and it seemed like a year had goneby. We met. Being very methodical, Sam was dating all the people whoanswered the ad, and I was the third one to write. I knew the ad wouldrun for at least a week beyond our first date. I heard a `Thankyou,’ that’s all, so I thought, `I can do this too,’” says Eggers.She ran her own ad:Slender, Pretty SWF: with small human puppy intow. Professional, independent, throw great parties. 44 years old(no way!); fit and active. Talented: can change diaper, sip coffeeand talk on the phone all at the same time. Privileged, many yearsabroad; fluent in French. Passions include good coffee, hot baths,the woods, the kitchen, disarmament, scathing analysis of the Republicanregime. Is there a man out there who can excite my mind? — therest is easy.This ad drew 20 replies. “I was amazed at the quality ofthe responses,” says Eggers. “Probably five were serial killersbut at least half were talented, funny, intelligent, available people,well adjusted. One was a university professor and one wrote me sucha funny response that we are still friends. But I had my eye on Samthe whole time. I told him he was really my first choice.”For dating purposes Eggers had limited her use of the Internet todue diligence. “I had looked quite a bit at the various sites,but I didn’t want to take that step. I did a search on Sam on theInternet and checked out some of the composers that he really likes.I found some papers he and written, and the grammar was impeccable— I was so impressed.””By Christmas I knew I was going to be his date for the Christmasparty and was pretty pleased about that,” she says. “By Valentine’sDay we were quite serious.” By Memorial Day they were engaged.Eggers’ father was an international banker, and she spent part ofher childhood in Paris and Geneva (she named her son “Paris”).She spent her teenage years in Princeton, going to Princeton HighSchool and then to Wesleyan University, graduating in 1979. Becauseher then boyfriend’s U.S. visa was expiring she moved with him toCanada, “and to stay I had to get married.” After 12 yearsthere she came home and worked first for the Carrier Clinic, thenin New York for an insurance firm, coincidentally right across thestreet from where her future husband was living at the time.At the time he placed the ad, Hewitt had an apartment in Plainsborobut is now ensconced, with his Baldwin upright piano, in Eggers’ spaciousEwing home, where he has earned the title “Daddy Dinosaur”from Eggers’ son, named Paris, aka Baby Dinosaur.The wedding will be in Yardley, and Hewitt’s father will help officiate.”We are going to be fairly traditional — we are trying tomake it a great party but are not going to take people hostage forfive hours,” says Eggers. She has never had a church wedding,and surprised herself by choosing a traditional gown, complete withtrain. Her only attendant will be her son. “I told Sam you aremarrying both of us,” says Eggers. “And we would like to havea bigger family any which way we can.”U.S. 1 singles ads (see page 39) must be working: we get a steadyflow of responses and this is the second wedding couple that toldus they found each other in U.S. 1.May there be many more. Follow your instinct, Eggers advises. “Ifyou are to draw the person you won’t draw the person you need. Thereis always that element of magic and surprise and total serendipity.”— Barbara FoxPrevious StoryNext StoryCorrections or additions?This page is published by PrincetonInfo.com— the web site for U.S. 1 Newspaper in Princeton, New Jersey.
