Die good old grovel is my gunsteling toneel in enige romantiese komedie wat sy sout werd is. Ek vrek oor die oomblik wanneer die held besef dat slim sy baas gevang het – dat hy ‘n opperste poephol was wat die één vrou weggedryf het waarsonder hy nie kan leef nie. En dat hy nou beter please explain – op sy knieë, asseblief, verkieslik met ‘n verloofring in sy sak – in die hoop dat sy hom dalk terug mag vat, lae luis wat hy is!
Soveel flieks, soveel grovels. Onthou jy nog hoe ons hartjies gebons het toe Richard Gere, hoogtevrees ten spyt, vir Pretty Woman daar uit haar ‘kasteel’ se toring gaan haal het? Veral nadat sy hom vroeër so weergaloos in sy peetjie gestuur het: When I was a little girl, my mama used to lock me in the attic when I was bad, which was pretty often. And I would … pretend I was a princess… trapped in a tower by a wicked queen. And then suddenly this knight… on a white horse with these colours flying would come charging up and draw his sword. And I would wave. And he would climb up the tower and rescue me. But never in all the time… that I had this dream did the knight say to me, “Come on, baby, I’ll put you up in a great condo.”
My persoonlike grovel-gunsteling is Hugh Grant. Hy’s waarlik in ‘n klas van sy eie wanneer dit kom by skuldig lyk. Daai deurmekaar hare. Daai dierbare leepoë – erger as ‘n Basset met ‘n hangover s’n. Ek het nou die dag weer Music and Lyrics gekyk waarin hy sy onvergeetlike grovel sing:
And though I know I’ve already blown more chances
Than anyone should ever get
All I’m asking is you don’t write me off just yet
Don’t write me off just yet.
Natuurlik is dit soms die heldinne wat groot askies moet vra. En as hulle dit doen, doen hulle dit in styl! 
Dink maar aan die dierbare, lawwe Bridget wat in die sneeu uithardloop agter Mark Darcy aan. In haar jas en luiperdvel onderklere! Of Julia wat haar hardloopskoene vir Richard present gee in Runaway Bride? Of in Notting Hill vir Hugh sê: “I’m just a girl, standing in front of a boy asking him to love her.”
Hoe skryf ‘n mens ‘n goeie grovel? Hier is Harlequin outeur Lucy King se raad (lees die hele post op http://www.iheartpresents.com/2010/09/i%E2%80%99m-an-idiot-i-love-you-by-lucy-king/)
“I’m an Idiot, I Love You” by Lucy King
There’s a man on his knees on a doorstep. He’s shouting through a letterbox, pleading with the woman inside, desperate to undo the damage he’s done. Later, there’s a woman, bedraggled and shivering in an oilskin, fighting to win back the man she stupidly rejected…
Ah, who doesn’t love a good grovel in a Presents? The moment when the hero – and it usually is the hero who’s screwed up, isn’t it? – realises he’s been a fool, tracks the heroine down and begs for forgiveness. An alpha male brought to his knees by love? It gets me every time. And the more they suffer, the better!
As it’s probably my favourite part of a Presents, both to write and to read, here’s my 10-step guide to a good hero grovel:
1. Screw up really really badly. Because let’s face it, the worse the screw up, the better the grovel. Suspect the heroine is becoming a Serious Threat to your peace of mind. Possibly jump to the wrong conclusion and accuse her of something she didn’t do/say. Let your own emotional baggage blind you. Whatever the reason, back off faster than you can say ‘Fall in love? Over my dead body’.
2. Leave. Or make the heroine leave. Either way, count your lucky stars that you’ve managed to extricate yourself from a fate worse than death.
3. But hang on a moment. If you’ve been so clever, how come you feel so out of sorts?
4. Reluctantly force yourself to re-assess the values you’ve held all your life, analyse some of the irritatingly valid points the heroine may have made during your last encounter and examine your feelings (shudder).
5. In a burst of clarity realise that you’ve behaved like a complete idiot and make yourself acknowledge that your life is actually pretty pointless without the heroine in it.
6. Waste no time in rectifying the situation. You’re an alpha male, aren’t you? Go and find her. Make a Grand Emotional Gesture. Explain your behaviour. At a push, confess that she might have been right after all. About some things. Possibly. Phew. Sorted.
7. Wait a second. Something isn’t right. Why isn’t she falling into your arms in gratitude? What do you mean that’s not enough?
8. Uhoh. This may call for drastic measures. Gather your strength. Release all those emotions you didn’t even know you had. Take a deep breath and tell her that you love her and can’t live without her.
9. Wait on tenterhooks for the heroine’s reaction. Why is she hesitating? Oh, this isn’t fair. Haven’t you suffered enough already? Send a prayer of gratitude to your author when the heroine finally puts you out of your misery and confesses that she loves you too.
10. Now she falls into your arms. Thank goodness for that. Live happily ever after.
ameliastrydomskryf 