Hugh, Crystal and the Great Divide

Age is more than a number. Talk about your May-December romances where gold-digging and other ulterior motives are usually suspected. Why indeed would a beautiful 25 year old woman marry an 85 year old man? Here’s a multiple choice selection- which do you think?

a. She is looking for a father figure
b. She is desperately seeking security and unconditional love
c. She can’t get over a past love and feels it is time to move on
d. She wants the lifestyle, high profile, great expense account and connections that come with the guy

It appears something other than love factored into the relationship between Hugh and Crystal. After much hype, carefully laid and expensive plans and the wedding only a few days away- Crystal called it off. Maybe she did a careful assessment of her betrothed and some quick math and came up with a very probable calculation of 15 years of marriage to a guy old enough to be her grandfather. At 40, she would be entering middle age, moving out of her child bearing years- and her youth would be behind her. Sobering thoughts for anyone, even with such enticing fringe benefits thrown in.

All right, this is all very cynical. Yes, women do fall in love with older men. They get married, have children and spend many quality years together. But a 65 year difference would be hard to bridge. Forget about having many commonalities, similar histories and memories, and an ability to relate that comes from life experience and the perspective that is gained from it. They are in very different life cycle stages and developmental phases- and the divide is just too great.

So, what would Hugh get out of this arrangement other than that one thing all of you are thinking? He gets to relive his youth, to have moments where he can be the bridegroom again with a young and beautiful bride, to socialize with young people and play the role of the new husband- to turn back the clock and dip into the fountain of youth.

I don’t know about Hugh, but just thinking about it makes me want to take a nap.