responsibility may well outweigh considerations of physical appearance or of age; snobbish as it may sound, each partner might do well to take into consideration the social standing of the other; and of course sexual compatibilty must be one element in any decision, although it be one element only.

This is not to say that romance should be absent from the homosexual marriage any more than from the heterosexual one. Quite to the contrary. But no sound and enduring marriage, of any kind, can be built upon passion alone.

Nor should it be entered into blindly nor drifted into. Any act of our lives which is likely to have long-term consequences is worthy of careful thought and preparation. Intelligent discussion of many purely material questions (the budget, common property, who is to wash the dishes) is vital at the outset if squabbles or worse-are to be avoided later. None of these problems is incapable of solutionfew problems of any kind are. It is, however, essential that they be met with eyes wide open, and far enough in advance.

In the same way, major problems should be worked out. It is inevitable that there be some differences in tastes between any two partners, if it be the gap between Beethoven and Brubeck or between Steve Allen and Ed Sullivan. Some compromises are easy to reach (two TV sets, perhaps?); others are more difficult; but most are possible.

The question of sexual "fidelity" may often be a harder nut to crack. Here it is difficult to give any advice, except to urge tolerance and a strict observance of John, vIII, 7: "Let him who is without sin . . ." To my mind, insistence upon sexual exclusivity is an archaic prejudice built upon old family inheritance customs and laws. To someone else, it may be a sine qua non. But here, again, the question should be considered in theory before it arises in practice.

If we look facts in the face, we can see the good as well as the bad. We need have no fear of "getting involved," provided that we are careful to get involved with someone who is for us the right kind of person.

And-what is most important-we need not be alone!

12

SHORT POINT FOR

FUTURE FEET

Saucerian magnates know

this:

When all cognates & translations

have been wed, only the Greeks May

have loved too early.

Marvin Bell