Reluctant Bachelor Re-posts 'Wife Wanted' Sign

C E D A R   S P R I N G S, Mich., Jan. 3, 2003 -- Steve Horowitz, a 53-year-old retired public school teacher, took down the "Wife Wanted" sign from the front of his Cedar Springs, Mich., home when he thought he found the perfect candidate.

"I did meet a wonderful lady and we had so much in common," Horowitz said. "The news media kind of scared her off," he said.

When his lady friend fled the spotlight, Horowitz, a lonely self-proclaimed adventurer, reposted his big sign.

"I am putting the sign back up to see if there's any other interest," Horowitz said.

Dry Spell

Before posting his sign in November, Horowitz hadn't been on a date since 1994.

Prior to that, the reluctant bachelor was married, but it lasted only six months.

"It was about 1980," Horowitz said. "A very lovely lady and you know there was nothing sad there. It just didn't work out."

Horowitz received approximately 60 responses, 40 by mail and 20 by phone, after posting his sign.

His 4-foot-by-8-foot portable store sign, which is mounted on a truck outside his house, lights up and holds changeable letters

Horowitz said he already had the sign and had been using it to post birthday wishes for neighbors and other community announcements. He changed it to a "wife wanted" sign after he overheard some wives kindly talking about their husbands, and he realized that he wanted to be someone's husband.

The woman he took the sign down for said she had been "intrigued" by Horowitz. They had a date set for New Year's Eve until she decided to put things on hold due to the attention, Horowitz said.

"This is not a joke," Horowitz said. "I am taking this seriously. I think in the new year I will be married."