The Goat Test

Single girl seeking her goat mate

-Carrie Seim

Forget searching for a soul mate, I’m now officially looking for my goat mate. Allow me to explain…

Earlier this week, I was chatting with a dear friend of mine. (Because I just watched this week’s Mad Men, let’s call her Peggy.) Peggy has recently started dating a new guy, who’s practically perfect in every way. He’s handsome, soulful, smart, funny and – very wisely – totally digs Peggy.

There’s only one problem – his job requires him to travel constantly. A bit like Mary Poppins, he swoops in most unexpectedly and flies away when the wind changes.

The whole affair is decidedly bittersweet. Peggy feels it’s too early in their relationship to ask for any sort of commitment, nor is she ready to make one to him. He’s never in one place for long enough for anything terribly serious. But she’s not grieving his imminent departure or braying about the unfairness of the universe. Instead, she’s living in the moment and enjoying every enchanting moment of their fleeting time together.

In short, the girl has romantic guts.

I asked her if she thought spending time with him would make it that much harder when he has to go.

“It’s worth it,” she said, with surprising conviction.

“Really?” I asked. “I don’t know if I could handle it.”

“He’s one of those magical people. No matter how rotten or stressed I’m feeling, he walks in the room and I instantly feel at peace, like I’m at the exact right place in the universe.”

“Wow,” I said, hoping my envy wasn’t showing too badly.

“He’s the goat in my stable.”

“Come again?” I asked.