He brought screams to the lips of one of his most ardent admirers in The Gleaner's editorial department. Up close, his pearly whites gleamed whiter and his smile is even more captivating than his pictures told. Flair's most eligible bachelor 2009, Trudane Hardware, came calling on Wednesday and the Lifestyle team took great pleasure in meeting and greeting him.

Formalities out of the way, we learnt that Hardware, who works in the hospitality sector, is from Steer Town in Trelawny, and the last of nine sons for his parents. He is also uncle to 14 nephews and five nieces.

He is currently in charge of sales at one of the island's top hotels, and spoke volumes about the superiority of the service offered there. He has held that job for seven years.

All his siblings were overjoyed with his win, as was his co-worker who nominated him, Hardware said he received up to 15 friend requests on his Facebook page for the days immediately following the announcement and says, "I was surprised to realise that so many people from all over the world read The Gleaner online."

Motivated mom, kind dad

Hardware, who loves his mother's brown-stewed chicken, admires her for being a self-motivated and determined woman who does not wait on anything or anyone to get things done. "She was the stricter of my two parents when we were growing up, and a very hard worker. What I admire most about my father is his easy-going and kind ways, and for being there for us as children."

The qualities that Hardware finds missing in men today are respect for their elders, and the lack of motivation. He notes these because growing up, his grandmother always stressed the importance of having manners to older people. He also finds that many young men today have to be pushed into action. "Many of them are just downright lazy," he said.

Hardware attends the Bethel Tabernacle church close to where he works and when asked, he told Flair that he can cook many pork dishes very well. His favourite car is the Honda Accord.

barbara.ellington@gleanerjm.com