by Roberta Velyn

Created on: September 08, 2010

Once upon a time there was a little golden-haired girl who loved tiaras and singing and dancing and pretty things. She asked her mother, "How do I get to be a princess?"

I told her that the only way I knew was to marry a prince.

Having limited acquaintance with royalty, we followed closely the news headlines about Prince Harry over the years. As Sarah grew taller, it appeared that Harry was keeping pace. He seemed to be a pretty decent guy, quieter than his brother, and possibly a little brighter. When he was reported to be dating, my would-be-princess, still in high school, realized that the window of opportunity was closing. Sarah gracefully accepted the reality that she was not likely going to be a princess of the British realm. It had been something of a long shot anyway.

By 2007 the little girl had grown into a beautiful, talented, charming young woman. One winter night when she was working in Vancouver, Sarah phoned to say she had a boyfriend. I wanted to know something about him. Where did they meet? At a bar, I supposed. She replied in the affirmative he was the bouncer at the bar where she was working.

"And what else does he do?" I asked. "Bouncing isn't exactly a career."

Well, she replied, it's his career - at least for now. It's a full-time job for him. He wants to take a sound engineering course, but he has to save some money first.

Sarah drove home that Christmas and then flew back to Vancouver, leaving her car for me to drive back a few days later. She got on the plane not knowing how she would get from the airport to her apartment. She called later to say that Sami had met her flight and ushered her into a waiting limousine to escort her home.

A week later, Sarah's Aunt Shirley and I were in Vancouver to deliver Sarah's car. We met Sami and the two kids took us bowling at the alley they'd gone to on their first date. We were duly impressed.

As Sarah got to know Sami better, and heard something of his family history, she learned that many generations ago his Sudanese ancestors had been kings of Egypt. It would seem that my little girl has found her prince.

Please raise your glasses in a toast to Sarah and Sami: may they live happily ever after.

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