15 years

15 years ago, it was 1991. i'd returned from a year abroad (i lived in madrid) and was getting ready to start my (first) senior year in college the next day. i was almost 21. Chris and Josh (who i'd known since the first day in the dorms) were having a blow out LAST PARTY OF THE SUMMER party at their apartment. how could i say no to that? a party? with my friends? you betcha. josh and chris both worked at petaluma cinemas. josh as an assistant manager (is that what he was at the time? i think so) and chris as a projectionist. both of them had the night off, but many of their theater friends (and josh's girlfriend --- now wife) worked until past midnight.

around midnight, in walked in some of the friends. this very handsome and very tall guy walked in. i was smitten. right then and there. he'd brought some kahlua and something else...must've been baileys b/c he was going to make mudslides. i used all my feminine wiles on him. they.had.no.effect! i was being very interested in everything he had to say, found out his name, subtly found out if he had a girlfriend or not, asked him if i could have one of his drinks, made eye contact, did the touch the arm contact thing. i might have even TOSSED MY HAIR! oh my. basically, i was THROWING myself at him. did he notice? um...not so much. he was pleasant but he was being pleasant with everyone, not just me. i was one of very few girls in the room. michele was there - and maybe one other girl. not sure. so, i went on hitting on him, but also having fun and talking with my friends.

i realized that i should stay the night and all my books for the next day and my clothes were at my apartment. so, michele kindly offered to drive me there and back b/c i was just going to spend the night on the couch (my friends and i are and always have been VERY good about the designated driver thing). so the whole way to my apartment (maybe a mile?) she talked up rob. he definitely didn't have a girlfriend, definitely would be happy with a girlfriend and i should keep working on him. so, back to the apartment we went. more chatting, more trying to hit on rob. at one point, i realized he was gone -- actually, i do believe, i saw him walk out the door. his good friend mark had taken him outside. i found out later that what mark said to rob was something along the lines of "dude, that girl is hitting on you. in fact, she's hitting on you so hard that EVERYONE in the room knows it EXCEPT for you. so when we go back inside, sit next to her." so, that's what he did. unfortunately, chris and josh's apartment was suddenly seeming VERY VERY small and i'd had just that weeee bit too much to drink and was feeling hot and closed in. so, being VERY bold, i asked rob if he'd like to walk outside with me. happily for the sake of our children, he did. we've been together ever since.

needless to say, i owe mark in a big way. yes, eventually, rob and i would have found our way to each other. we'd have been at several things together b/c, like i said, josh and chris were (and are) good friends of mine as well as friends of rob's. but, b/c mark clued him in, it took much less time.

so that's the story of how i met the man of my dreams. my best friend, my other half, my lobster (any friends fan?), my love. we were married 4 years 2 months later.

i love you, rob