"Oh," thought Gemma, "what I wouldn't give to have a hand to hold, a h

"Oh," thought Gemma, "what I wouldn't give to have a hand to hold, a heart to warm, and a room filled with candle light" as she spent another lonely night cooped up in her flat.

She's tried finding Mr. Right in all the usual places. She'd "shopped" at work, went on dozens of blind dates that her friends and family set her up with, and had joined so many community and hobby groups, she was completely worn out.

One lonely night while surfing the internet she came across an online dating site that caught her eye. "I will never try online dating," she said to herself. "But on the other hand," she mused, "why not try an online dating site?"

So, before you could say "Bob's your uncle," Gemma had signed up onan online dating site. She spent hours labouring over the requisite profile, trying to be creative, yet communicate her true self. She searched her photo archives for six photographs that portrayed her in various moods, settings and flattering poses and posted them all before she closed the session at the end of the night.

Within 24 hours, Gemma's mailbox was flooded with "winks" -- online equivalents to "giving someone the eye." Gemma faithfully reviewed each of her prospective suitors. None of them were particularly appealing -- in fact, some were downright scary!

But Gemma was hooked. Every night after work she could hardly wait to check her mailbox to see what "presents" might be waiting "at her door." There was Bruno from Italy -- gorgeous, but dumber than a post. There was Giles from London -- well-placed and effete, but by his own admission, someone only looking for a woman who "would carry on the lineage" while he continued to have flings around town.

Then, there was Bob from America. Just a good 'ol guy from Texas that was "looking for a little lady who wasn't afraid of rattlesnakes and could rustle up a tasty meal from armadillo" that he promised to provide an endless supply of for he and "his little woman."

If nothing else, reading her suitors' emails and proposals provided Gemma with endless entertainment. "Simply incredible," she thought, how many unique and strange people there are in the world with one thing in common -- a desire to find someone who not only was compatible but thought their quirks were imminently lovable.