Twelve Years Ago

It was just a bit past the halfway mark of my very first semester in seminary.  My friend Toni traveled from Florida to Pennsylvania to spend Thanksgiving with me.  The week we spent together was filled with later-than-usual nights since my class schedule prevented us from having much other time together.  I took her to the airport on Saturday night and collapsed in exhaustion on Sunday afternoon.

I was snuggled under blankets sound asleep on the sofa when a knock sounded on my door.  I'd gotten into the habit of having Sunday dinner with a seminary friend and, knowing that it was her at the door, I dug my way out of the covers, shouting, "I'm coming!"

I never even stopped to peek in the mirror, or to look through the peephole.

I was more than a little bit surprised when Don was standing on the other side of the door.  By then, we'd been chatting almost daily during my work-study hours in the library and had become friends, but we'd never spent significant time together.  No matter.  I knew him well enough to invite him into my apartment.

We spent four hours talking!  And then, as I realized it was nearing 6pm, I asked if he was hungry.  It was my intention to offer him a simple supper of Thanksgiving leftovers.  Instead, he invited me to go out to dinner with him.  I agreed and we walked from the seminary down to the town square and had sandwiches for dinner at The Plaza, where we spent another two hours chatting.  We spent one more hour talking outside my apartment, before the cold temperatures forced me indoors.

All told, our first date was seven hours long, and filled with conversation.

Three and a half months later, he asked me to marry him.  I've never regretted saying, "Yes." 

If I remember to post on December 12, I'll tell you about our first kiss!