As I was leaving my parent’s house last Monday after staying there the weekend , I was started when I heard a hello from some nearby bushes. All of a sudden a cute gardner popped his head up and smiled at me. Taken off guard, I returned a friendly greeting and a few words before I continued on my way.

Normally I would not have given our exchange any more thought than that, but I was struck by I don’t know…the fact that he was a cute gardner. I don’t know what it is with white girls and blue-collar workers, but nothing gets me more afluttered than an unshaven man in jeans and work boots. And as I think back on all the guys that I’ve had the best chemistry with…well…they weren’t the shiney, slick-haired guys in a suit.

Many might say the attraction to rough hands and a scruffy beard is just a rich, white girl’s fantasy—ya know—a real cowboy (think Marlboro man), a fireman, your scuba instructor—the gardner.

No, this isn’t Desperate Housewives. But after dating these pretentious guys who think money is what women want, I find myself more attracted to the humble, selfless, hard-working men (that’s right, M-E-N) who don’t expect much more than the fresh outside air and a good home cooked meal.

And another thing to consider? Great bodies. I realize these men don’t all have the body of Mr. November, whom I’m looking at right now on my 2008 Fireman calendar, but their jobs are often physically demanding enough that they can look pretty good with their shirts off.

Wannabe professionals counter-attack blue-collar threats with the tiff, “Ha, well, enjoy living off $40,000 a year.” True. To some degree, that would be hard. I have many friends who want the professional, the suit, the money. And for good reason—security, stability. So practically speaking, maybe that’s what these men will always have to be—a fantasy.

Nah! I don’t care. I’ll take the gardner (or the guy below) over that anytime.

Hmmm, a cold Diet Coke sounds really good right now.

**So if you are the gardner who worked in Jenny’s parent’s front yard last Monday morning, she thought you were cute. Give her a call if you want to exchange more than the few words you did that morning.