but sometimes you found yourself in one of those tiresome situations where the truth could no longer be avoided , and laurel reckoned the truth to be this : she had chosen darren crosby because his pictures and letters had told her he was n't much different from the placid boys and men she had been dating ever since she was fifteen or so , boys and men who would learn quickly to wipe their feet on the mat before they came in on rainy nights , boys and men who would grab a towel and help with the dishes without being asked , boys and men who would let you go if you told them to do it in a sharp enough tone of voice .