In Search of my ‘Million Pound Boy’

Do you ever think, believe or imagine that you could someday find a perfect person? The perfect person for you. Well, I used to. Let me share my experience but before I get to that – there’s this Nigerian artist I like so much. Fuse ODG. I loved the Azonto song so much, my friends nicknamed me Azonto. The song was my jam!! Then he dropped another one, Million Pound Girl. I loved it as well but got over it shortly after.

On Monday afternoon as I sat in traffic thinking about what I was going to write about. The song Million Pound Girl played on the radio. I’ve never really been keen on the lyrics but this particular day they sunk in. “She phenomenal, she motivate and she elevate.” Those lyrics got me thinking. Okay so everyone has a set of qualities they look out for in a partner to make their “Million Pound Girl/Boy”. Sorry, I digress. Here is my experience.

When I was about 10, there was this boy in my class called Rahim. He was very cute. He had the most beautiful eyes ever and a very warm personality. For a 10-year-old this was just too much for me. I remember always thinking to myself, “What’s with this boy? Why him?” I never got an answer then. Every day after school I would tell my mother everything Rahim had done in class. What he had carried for break; what he had carried for lunch; the questions he had answered and every other thing about him that never really mattered. He was my undisputed Million Pound Boy because of the following reasons;
1. He was cute and smart
2. He always smiled at me
3. He always took care of my books and pencil pouch when I’d go to the washrooms and tell me what the teacher had said while I was away.

Sadly, as I grew up, got to puberty and all, this obsession with Rahim slowly faded away. I craved something more than just a cute lovely boy. I wanted an intelligent person. Someone I could emotionally and intellectually connect with. Funny and fine! A guy who loved rugby and actually played the game. At some point I was torn between a rugby player and a tennis player, then a biker and a skater. After a while I was obsessing over French-speaking men, preferably from Benin, Senegal or Rwanda. However I later got over this craze.

I’ve ended up meeting very many douchebags, some sorry excuses for men who somehow had one or two qualities I looked out for. One with thick arms but without the hoarse voice I craved. If he smelled great he had strange bipolar behaviors. Something was always amiss. Soon the image of this Million Pound Boy was distorted. I got tired of waiting, wanting and expecting. The Million dollar boy was not coming.

Fact is there is no such thing as a ‘Million Pound Boy”! We live in an imperfect world. Looking for the perfect someone is impossible. This sad reality dawned on me and I figured, maybe I turned my back on a bunch of really wonderful people. If only I was patient enough to get to know them for who they really were. Understanding and accepting them just as they were. Appreciating them. Knowing a beautiful stranger, accepting his flaws and shortcomings and embracing their traits – good and bad.

How many times have we walked away from something that could potentially be perfect? Point to ponder. Perfection doesn’t exist. Not just in relationships but everything from the jobs we do to the friends we choose.

Until next time!

 may.hazel@gmail.com