I stood in the lobby looking around...I didn't know what this guy looked like for sure, didn't know what to expect. I just knew I was supposed to meet him. The guy with the tan coat and docker pants...well that could darn near be any guy. I felt uncomfortable. I studied every guy who walked in the door. I wondered to myself "what the hell am I doing?" and "this is crazy" followed by "is he here and I just don't know?".
After thirty agonizing minutes went by, I gave in to worry. I kept doubting the reality of the blind date ever happening. I decided to call his house...I took a quarter out of my pocket and nervously sauntered over to the pay phone. I put in the quarter and dialed the number sketched on the post-it note the secretary had given me...
"Hello? Nora? It's Amy. Is Kevin still going to meet me tonight?"
"Yes, he left about 45 minutes ago. He should be there by now. You're at Bucks right?"
"Yes, but I haven't seen him yet. What's he wearing?"
"He's got his tan jacket on (affirmation) and he's wearing khaki colored dockers (more affirmation). Call me back if you don't find him please!"
"Ok, will do...I'll keep looking!" Click. I hung up the pay phone that had just eaten my quarter and looked around again. I still didn't see this guy whose mom I knew from school (the school secretary) who'd shared that she thought it would be good for us to "get together" and "go out sometime".
I wandered around the lobby area one more time and still didn't see "this guy", "Kevin". I looked from guy to guy to guy...we were supposed to meet in the lobby!! And then it occurred to me, "There's another lobby upstairs!!" I hurried up the steps and walked into the long, train station-like lobby of the upstairs and saw a guy in a tan coat seated on the bench but looking around as if he were to meet someone!
"Are you Kevin?" I blurted in exhaustion feeling a little out of breath.
"Yes, are you Amy?" hand extended...
The rest of the blind date and twenty years of history together are what I'm celebrating as the anniversary arrives tomorrow. What if I had no quarter? What if I never called? Would I have even met him? Would I have kept looking, waiting, and thinking? (stood up on a blind date-really?). Instead, I'm celebrating the way things worked out-happily ever after-20 years later!
What are you celebrating this week?
What if....Such a sweet celebration this week, Amy! Perfect for Valentine's Day!!
ReplyDeleteJennifer
Loving story, Amy. You carried the anticipation along so beautifully. I wondered what was going on, & it's your and your husband's story! Happy Anniversary, & Valentine's Day too!
ReplyDeleteI love how you wrote this story of your meeting!! Happy Anniversary and thank goodness you had that quarter! :)
ReplyDeleteLove your story! So fun to play the "what if" game, but happy you know the answer :) Happy Valentine's Day day!
ReplyDeleteLove this story! Happy Valentine's Day to you!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteSweet love story for this special day.
ReplyDeleteI started reading this and was thinking - wow there's a pay phone! It took me a minute to realize this was in the past . . . Pay phones, Valentines, . . . it's been a long day and I am a little slow despite some extra coffee this a.m. Lovely story!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great narrative for your celebration post-a departure from the usual format. Your blind date story created a world of 20 years of happenings-a fairy tale romance, Amy. I am writing about togetherness this week and just posted. My post includes more than my husband this Valentine's week.
ReplyDelete