The One

Sixteen years ago tonight I went on a date. To Kentucky Fried Chicken. I had just finished working 3 - 7 pm at Meijer where I was a retail clerk. He had left the same place a few hours earlier, he was also a retail clerk. It was destiny.

He was leaving in the morning for a road trip to Colorado where his Aunt had a guest ranch. I was nauseous from nerves, the thought of eating made it worse. KFC was not the answer. We had been flirting for a couple of weeks now. My boyfriend of 2 years and I had just broken up. His relationship ended a couple of months earlier. I was 19. He was 22. I was going away to college that Fall and didn't want any attachments. He was just looking to have fun.

After our scrumptous dinner we stopped for a 12 pack of Bud Light and went to my house. I lived on my own with an odd roommate (we'll save that for another post) so we sat on my bedroom floor, drank a few beers and talked. And talked. And talked. The next morning he left for his week long trip. He called a few times and sent me a postcard. When he returned we spent 5 months toying with each other. I went on dates with others. He seemed not to care.

Then after one particularly horrible date with someone else and way too much alcohol it all became quite clear. I was not going away to college without attachments. Little did I know then that this cocky smart ass was... The One. Sixteen years of together, 10 1/2 years of marriage and 2 daughters later, he still is. Happy Anniversary Honey.

1992