Around the World in 88 Years -E Book - Arthur Burt

He has a partner for me, but otherwise to keep my heart. Nowthe Lord has allowed my heart to go out to you.”“I already am courting a young lady,” I replied, referring to Marj,but inwardly, I felt flattered. She had struck me on my Achillesheal — my pride and my desire to be as attractive to women asthey were to me. I had always believed I was ugly and had stayedaloof from girls because of that.Stanley Park in Blackpoole, 1930’s…I wasn’t flirting but I was battling on the inside.I suppose men are all different. A girl’s eyes will attract some menwhile other men are what you would term “bosom men”. Oneman is attracted to flowing hair, a melodious voice or a sparklingpersonality. Others are attracted to anything in skirts. We’re notdealing with right or wrong now but with a man called ArthurBurt, and rightly or wrongly, I was attracted to a nice pair of legs.Job said, “I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should Ithink upon a maid?” (Job 31:1) Jesus said, “Whosoever lookethon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with heralready in his heart.” (Matt 5:28) It took me years to learn thedifference between looking upon a woman with lust and lookingupon a woman with appreciation of her beauty.When I was a boy, a girl’s skirts were well down over her knees,approaching her ankles. When a young woman went for a swimin the sea, she would wear a bathing costume up to her neck,down to her wrists, and below her knees. She would dress in abathing hut on wheels. Then, when she was ready, a pony wouldpull her bathing hut down to the water’s edge. Miss Prim wouldopen the top half of the door, peep out to see that no men wereabout, and then would trip down the steps and into the waterwith her bathing cap on.In the 30’s this began to change, and I began to have problemswith my roving eyes. I wasn’t flirting and chasing the girls but Iwas battling on the inside. Once, I took my mother to StanleyPark in Blackpool where we hired a boat and rowed out ontothe water. In another boat were three attractive, giggly girls whocould no more row than they could fly to the moon, but theywere having a hilarious time, thoroughly enjoying themselves.68