Since no one was asking, I thought I’d share the story of how Kory and I got together.
It was January of 1997. I’d finally closed the book on what we’ll call The Neverending Breakup. You know that story? One minute you’re skipping school to read a book and the next thing you know, you’ve been in a dysfunctional relationship for three years, flown on a weird puppy dog beast, and sought advice from a really old turtle. The end is bewildering, and the only thing you can do is hope there won’t be a sequel.
Anyhoo. A friend had been bugging me to go to her college group, so I finally agreed. A day or two before the meeting, I got up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and opened my bedroom door smack into my face. Those of you who know me know that I really am that clumsy.
An impressive bruisy/scrapey thing resulted. But I went to college group anyway. After all, the Official Rebound Rules prohibited me from even considering checking guys out. Being eighteen, I broke the rules and met a very skinny guy named Kory. I thought to myself, “I could never marry a man that skinny. I’d feel fat the rest of my life.” Dang it!
While I was pondering Kory’s excessive skinnitude, he was thinking, “Wow. This girl must have a great personality if she’s secure enough to go out looking like that.”
Yes indeed folks, sometimes the old “great personality” line actually applies.
A week later (my face looked considerably better) we had our first date. I dragged my girlfriend along because, well, we women enjoy sending mixed signals. The college group was going to a club in Denver that played swing music, so the three of us--Kory, me, and my security blanket--drove up together.
Kory bravely tried to dance with me. I led. It was embarrassing.
On the way home, I leaned forward in between the seats of my friend’s little car and chatted. Somehow, I fell asleep that way, and Kory witnessed my secret superpower—the ability to fall asleep anywhere, anytime, in any position. Someday I’ll save the world with a power nap.
I must not have drooled too much because he asked me out again.
I knew it was love from the get go and set about fattening him up. Once I’d gotten him to a healthy weight, I sat back and waited for a proposal. But apparently we’d forgotten to sync our dating watches.
Finally, light dawned for Kory. One Saturday, while he worked in the university lab with another engineering student, an approximation of the following conversation took place:
Kory: So, my girlfriend is at some bridal expo thing today.
Other Guy: Silence
Kory: What do you think that means?
Other Guy: Dude, you’re getting married.
Kory: Really?
Other Guy: Yeah.
Being a very cautious, analytical person, Kory mulled this conversation over for possible hidden meanings. Eventually he concluded that Other Guy was right, and on a beautiful summer day, he proposed to me on one of the many large rocks in our Rocky Mountains. Don't ask me which one.
We’ve been married ten years this year. Not a bad testimony to the seldom-credited feminine wile of clumsiness.
Anyone else out there catch your man in less-than-mainstream style? Or do you have a funny dating story to share? We all love a good old “meet cute” (or in my case, "meet ugly.") Do tell!
11 comments:
Precious story. Thank you for sharing! Blessings, andrea
I was there that night of the picture!!!! ;-)
That was so cool, huh? I just couldn't miss that dance even though I had a fever that day. I probably infected half the college group. =)
Just watched your video. You're the cutest thing ever!
Me and my husband? I was set up.
I actually asked my Corey out on our first date.
That's darling, E! Thanks for sharing!
My story? The short version is my mom married a farmer, and I married his hired hand. :-) We celebrate 22 years next Friday.
Rob and I met in a karate studio.I was working out with another instructor, getting ready for an exam. Rob was on break from college, came in and was chatting with that guy, who challenged him to "sneak attack" me. So, when my back was turned, took a a running start and knocked me to the ground. He likes to tell people he "swept me off my feet."
Yeah, that's his story and he's sticking to it.
I loved this post! I heart clumsy people...probably because I am one. ; )
Debra
Heath and I met in high school and tried to set each other up with our best friends. Much to our dismay, it didn't work out, then one day we looked at each other and though, "Heeeey! What about YOU? That might work!" And it did. :o)
Here's my tale, as I want the guys to have a sensitive side seen as well.
It was New Year's Day, 2000. I was recovering from the flu, and hadn't gone or done anything for over a week.
New Year's Eve was a combination of sniffles and sneezes, tissues, and disappointment. The next day, I was determined to go out and have fun.
No one on the planet wanted to go or do anything. So I went to this small club in Hoover, Alabama called Senior Frog.
I got there at 11:23 PM. By 12:00 AM, I was about to leave. "Genie in a Bottle" came on, so I gave myself till the end of that song before I left.
That's when she walked in. 12:03 AM. I heard angels sing, and God said, "That's the woman you're gonna marry and have kids with."
Now who am I to argue with Providence?
She came by the dance floor and smiled at me. She and her friends left. I got worried. I followed, but sat three tables away while they joined the bar.
After several bouts with liquid courage, I approached her. Made my introductions, and asked her to dance.
Dorothea looks up at me and says, "Let me catch a buzz first."
Wow. I thought I was shot down. But never one to doubt the inner voice of Wisdom, I told her where I would stand to wait for her.
I hid behind the big speakers, and to my amazement, she walked right where I said I would be. I met her, we danced, and by 3:30 A I had her number and a date. We had so much fun we left that club and went to another that stayed open until 6 in the morning.
I told her I would write her a poem, and I did. It was called "The Angel of My Dreams."
At 3:30 that same day, I called her and read it to her. We met on January 5th, 2000, for our first date. And we've been together ever since.
In fact, we wed on February 1st because she had to work on the 2nd, as we wanted to make it a month before we married. We settled for a day shy thereof, and are nearing our tenth anniversary.
Love at first sight. As Plumb sings it, "A Real Life Fairy Tale."
And funny thing? Dorothea had never been to Senior From until that night.
God is great! :)
Ok yeah. SO hard to believe I let 2 whole months pass before actually getting around to responding to this. Yikes! Where in the world did the summer go?
Anyway, you want less than conventional? How about meeting over a registration desk at a writer's conference, then "reuniting" in a web site chat room for the same writer's organization that hosted the conference, and proceeding to develop a long-distance friendship via email and IM?
That's Stu and me. It took 3 years and we only saw each other once each year at the annual conference. I chased him until he caught me. LOL! Guess I finally wore him down enough to where he realized he'd be stupid not to act.
We love to tell people we spent a grand total of 3 weeks face-to-face before we wed, and 1 full week of that was the week before the wedding.
Just celebrated 2 years this past July, have a baby girl, and are going strong. I feel I got to know him better through IM than I would have in person, and believe I know him better than some couples who have been married 10 years or more know each other.
One of these days, I'll put our story in a book. For now, it's shared in bits and pieces around the web. :)
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