“Being male is a matter of birth. Being a man is a matter of age. But being a Gentleman is a matter of choice.” -Vin Diesel

I had always believed that no man will ever be a true gentleman. What with my childhood and the numerous conniving males I met while growing up. That was until I met him.

If there's one advantage he probably had over the other 5 men featured here, it would be the fact that he was 8 years older than me. That was at least 4-6 years older than most of the men I dated. So there was the obvious difference in maturity and lifestyles. I remember very clearly, the first time I met him. I was a meek, impressionable teen and he was what seemed to be an untamed lion on his 1000cc black Yamaha. I admit, he wasn't tall, nor big and bulky. But there was something about him being on that huge machine that really blew me away.

We had lost contact after the first two years of knowing each other. And a few years later when I bumped into him again, the chemistry between us was undeniable and dating was unavoidable. If there's one thing he taught me, it was to always know my worth and to stand up for it. We knew we weren't meant for each other but we also knew that we wanted to be a part of each others' life nevertheless. And he did, in a huge way. Although we never got attached, we shared such a beautiful relationship such that we would 'date' whenever we could or wanted, whether we were single or not. Our dating life lasted the longest among all others. What I loved about it was how free we could be with each other. He would pick me up for coffee from my place, despite it being only 3 blocks away from his, pay for coffee and send me home, EVERY SINGLE TIME. It was not about him being able to do so, but rather him wanting to do so, that mattered.

I remember once, when he called, a little after my dinner time, and asked if I could accompany him for dinner and I did. He was caught off guard when he realised that the coffeeshop only accepted cash and the nearest ATM machine was a drive away. I was elated that I could finally pay for something for him. And I did. After which he drove us to the nearest ATM and returned me the cash, saying this, "If I can't provide for my woman, how can I call myself a man?" It wasn't about his ego, it was that he treated me like his woman although I wasn't. All he wanted from me, was my company, my opinions and my affection. Nothing else mattered. He never expected anything from me that I didn't want to give. It was like we coexisted in a bubble together, away from the world. What we shared was so special and yet so mature, I couldn't have asked for more. He will always be the truest gentleman, I call friend. It's because of him I see the good in Men. It's because of him that I was able to move past some of my most troubled memories. And for that, I am blessed.

He's now happily married with a beautiful daughter. And I couldn't be more happy for him. Perhaps one day we'd meet for coffee again, God willing. Till then, he'll always remain as my True Gentleman.